Crossing Destiny
by Mama Bunny
Summary: (DQXI) When the Luminary cuts into the Time Sphere to save his companion, exactly what else will change for the rest of the world? A novella exploring possibilities beyond is contained within.
1. Chapter 1

_Crossing Destiny_

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Quest XI! OCs in this story belong to Tibby-san and Raldozz. And myself, obviously.

Notes: If you have a Dragon Quest XI OC that you'd like to see appear in this fic somewhere, leave a comment~

Warnings: OCxcanon, plot modified to suit said OCs being utilized

 **Massive Story Spoilers. You have been warned. This fic starts at the beginning of Act II.**

FIC START!

-Part 1-

Cobblestone didn't have to wait for the fall of Yggdrasil to be destroyed. That had been done under orders of the king. The people native of the village were more used to hardship than any other by the time society as a whole had fallen, which meant they were more open to those that hadn't been enduring as long as they had. Young and old, rich and poor, all of the people had heard there was a Hero roaming the lands to take on the monsters just enough for survivors to gather in what the people had renamed the Last Bastion. Turning from the ruins of a once peaceful village to a fortress that harbored every human that could make it there, the last remaining humans had gathered together. No longer did borders matter. Politics were a thing of the past. All that mattered now was survival.

There was only constant night now. Torches had to be lit all the time. Everyone lived in fear that this day would be their last. Some days a storm would come through, bringing with it dreary rain that didn't nourish the plants or clear out the sky. Many wondered if the sunlight would ever return to this once beautiful green land, but there were many that believed it would never return. The Dark One reigned supreme. There was nothing more to look forward to, and the heaviness of the environment only planted itself that much deeper into the hearts of the weary.

In one basic wooden cabin situated somewhere in the middle of what used to be Cobblestone, close to several crushed stone houses, a pink-haired girl that had come the same exact way as those survivors had been given a new place to live, thanks to the generosity of the one the people referred to as The Hero. Between his trips to assist the humans in coming into the fortress, he always stopped by to check in on her. To repay him, she made sure to take care of all his homely needs as there was no one else to take care of what he needed on a day to day basis. She cooked, patched up his clothing, and looked after his wellbeing when she could. Some days were more difficult than others.

She sat at the table in the center of the cabin with a blank envelope and parchment, holding up a quill with her left hand.

 _To my best friend:_

 _I don't know how long it's been since I was able to send you a letter. I honestly don't know what the date even is anymore. I wonder if anyone keeps a calendar in these times at all, considering we all just live from the day to day... constantly afraid of being completely obliterated. Wiped out of existence. But now I don't even know if anyone delivers letters these days. I don't think anyone can get far enough now. Monsters were common before. I'm sure you remember that. Even you and I had been in a battle or two back in the day. These days, the monsters are everywhere. And they're far more vicious than they were before. They are not the same as when we used to take care of a random bunicorn or a slime passing through the Champs Savage. Either way, I wonder... did you ever tell the one you loved your feelings? I know I teased you a lot about it during school, but honestly I hope you were able to tell your crush your feelings before the fall. So many have lost family and friends, and it would be the worst shame if you didn't have that chance. You seemed to care a lot for the neighbor you told me about. And before you ask, I have met someone that inspires that sort of feeling from me. I can hear your voice in my head even now. 'Well, it's about time!' you would say. But this person, he's_

"Mahina?" a voice outside of her own thoughts snapped her away from her thoughts.

She looked up from her pen and parchment on the table, only to see the Last Bastion's one and only hero standing in front of her door. "Ah! Hendrik!" she exclaimed, getting up to greet him. "It's so good to see you back, safe and sound." He towered over her in height. She looked right up at him before quickly wrapping her arms around his torso. He winced just a bit, but he didn't seem upset with the embrace.

"It is always good to return home," Hendrik answered quietly, stepping into the cabin. She could tell by his posture that he'd been through another few harsh battles. "I trust you have had everything you needed while I was away?"

"I'm holding myself together better than I had a few months ago," she said, wiping her hands on her skirt. "Lift up your tunic."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't have winced like that if you weren't wounded," Mahina said, smirking. "Come on. Show me your wounds."

"I dressed my wounds on my way back," Hendrik replied. "You don't need to-"

She glared at him.

"...yes, Mahina," he said, pulling off his tunic and lifting his shirt to show that he was covered with all sorts of claw scratches, all with different depths. Some, if left unattended, would have festered. She knew he was used to taking care of himself, but she wasn't going to let him get sick due to his stubbornness.

She placed her hands up to his skin, channeling all the energy in her body to create a healing force. It seeped into him, causing all of the cuts to seal themselves better than any stitches ever could. It did leave her a tad dizzy for a moment, and Hendrik held onto her to keep her stable until she seemed stable enough to stand on her own. "There..." she said. "...I hope you feel better."

"Rightly so," Hendrik smiled at her gently. "Mahina, if it brings you pain, you should not-"

"I won't get it back if I don't practice at it," Mahina said, standing back up. She reached to put her hands on his shoulders. "I know you said I shouldn't, but... while you were out, I was going to tend to the wounded soldiers daily. The King was grateful for my contribution, regardless of how small it was. Everyone has to help somehow. There aren't many here who can even manifest healing magic."

He nodded knowingly. "After months of being abed, it is nice to see you up and about."

"I'll say," she agreed. "Are you hungry? I could fix you something."

"I would not ask more of you."

"You aren't asking if I'm offering," Mahina said, letting out a little giggle. "So. Are you hungry?"

"Mmm."

"You like bullfinch stew," she said happily. "I'll go get what I need to make it, and-"

"Stop," Hendrik said sternly. "Please, Mahina." With that tone, she could hear that something was on his mind.

"What is it?" she asked, and he tapped the stool right next to his. She sat next to him, looking into his aquamarine eyes.

"You are aware that once we manage to take back the land for ourselves, I will be returning to Heliodor to assist in the reconstruction effort, yes?" he asked.

"Of course. You take your knightly vows more seriously than anyone else I've met here," Mahina answered.

"Do you like it here?"

"At first, I hated it. Just wished I hadn't decided to get on that ship in Gondolia. But now? I'm glad I did!" she said. "If I hadn't..."

"Mahina..." Hendrik was not the type to hesitate about anything. She'd never seen him like this before.

"I'm glad I wound up here. That I got to...!" she bit her lip before she nuzzled against his shoulder.

He blushed for a moment, turning the other way. "Would you do me the honor of coming with me to reconstruct Heliodor when it comes time?" he asked.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?"

"But you like it here?"

"The reason why this tiny cabin is home for me is because you come home to it," she said. "Without you, this place would be too big for me. What would I do with the extra bed? What would I do with the extra spot at the table, or the spare wardrobe?"

"It would be for whoever you decide to make a home with," Hendrik answered, blushing that much harder.

"Sir Hendrik!" she laughed. "Who in the world would want to make a home with clumsy little me? I'm not wife material."

"Do not sell yourself so short," Hendrik turned towards her. He noticed how she was leaning into him, and he blushed a bit more. "Aside from that, you don't have to prepare anything to eat. Everyone in Cobblestone is gathering tonight. If you weren't asked to assist, you aren't required to."

"Then why have I not heard about this?" Mahina asked.

"You aren't the type to speak with any of the villagers unless you need something. I know how you are."

"I wasn't exactly popular back in Lonalulu. I learned from a young age not to try."

"Is that right?" Hendrik asked. "You never speak of your childhood, so-"

"I'd rather not, if it's all the same," she muttered. He respected her wishes. He didn't have the best young years himself, having been the sole survivor of the fall of Zwaardsrust. She cleared her throat before she spoke again. "There _is_ something I'd like to ask you."

"And what is that?"

"Do you know if... any other villages survived the fall of Yggdrasil?"

"Are you asking for the sake of Lonalulu?"

"No. I just..." She sighed. "...Want to know."

"I have not ventured far enough to know. I have found survivors from all over the world that have all come seeking shelter from the monsters, but I have not seen other settlements with my own eyes."

"Fair enough," she answered.

"Can I inquire as to why?"

She stood up and went back to the table where she had been writing her letter and picked it up. "When you're gone... Every trip you take, I write a letter to my best friend that I attended L'Academie with," Mahina said. She pointed to a sack tied to the wall. "That bag of mine is filled with letters to her."

"I've heard of stranger ways of coping with being lonely," Hendrik said, kindly reassuring her. "Even if those letters aren't able to be delivered, it still helps you deal with all you've been through. I've written letters to those that have passed before." He remembered for a moment, his younger days as a squire. How a classmate suggested that he write a letter to the parents he missed, as that's how he coped with missing his mother that had passed away.

"She may not be..."

"She may not be," he repeated it softly, standing up. "I wish to report to the king before the village holds the event. Come with me."

"To meet the king? But, I-" Mahina shook her head as she began to stammer. "I don't think I could- I'm not- I-"

"You have no need to be nervous. You have met him before. You said so yourself."

"He came to thank me while I was working. It's different. You've known him a very long time, so it doesn't seem weird to you."

"Come with me, please," Hendrik insisted. "I... I don't want to have to come all the way up here again to retrieve you."

"All right," she agreed, letting out a sigh. She couldn't shake her anxiety regarding it, so she just leaned more against him. "I'll go with you. You are big enough that I can hide behind you, after all."

"If it makes things easier," he said. "I'll be your shield. Through battle and... social situations, too."

Suddenly she grasped around his waist tightly. It completely surprised him, but he didn't pull away from her. Mahina always seemed to have these moments where she was so unsure of herself that she was afraid of the entire world outside this cabin. Hendrik did not completely understand why, but he would never disregard her feelings. She didn't have to take care of him the way she did. He had saved so many survivors out there and didn't expect payment of any sort in return. It was only his way of contributing. Putting the skills he had been building up his entire life to some use in this world. He would never turn away from someone in need of help. Clinging to the knight's code was all he really had left these days.

"You will be safe," he put a hand on the top of her pink hair even though her face was hidden in his chest. Up against him like this, he noticed exactly how much shorter she was in comparison to him. "I swear this to you."

"Thank you," she whispered, looking up at him yet again. Mahina's eyes had begun filling with tears, which he didn't expect.

"There is no need for these," Hendrik said as he wiped those tears away. "It _is_ just one meal out with other villagers."

"No, it's not... it's not that," she said. "I'm just so happy that... you'd protect me, even from things that don't scare others."

That made him have a genuine smile on his face. "I fear if we do not leave now, we never will."

"I... wouldn't mind being... right here instead," Mahina giggled.

Hendrik took a sharp breath, feeling his heart beat faster once he realized exactly what she meant, and led her towards the door. "Stop dawdling. You just want to put off having to do this."

"Haha..." she laughed again, this time nervously, "...Was it that obvious?"

"...yes."

* * *

The Champs Savage wasn't the most friendly place in the world to have a parade. The place had terrible footing, especially towards the north, with extremely narrow mountain passages that made it impossible for floats and things of that nature. But that didn't stop the Great Sylvando from putting on a parade of happiness regardless. With the fall of Yggdrasil, he saw it as his personal responsibility to stand up for all of those that were unable to do it themselves - a solemn promise he made the first time he saw someone cowering in fear, at the mercy of a Metal Slime Knight after waking up. Sylvando had no idea how he survived, but he didn't question it. After picking up a sword one again, he knew the truth more than he ever had known it before. He couldn't make people smile if they were in danger! Every young man that he saved from being eaten by malicious monsters, he ended up recruiting into his parade. Sylv even took the time to make them a uniform himself to suit the company - a beautiful, sleek purple velvet suit, with golden embroidery and elegant feathers that swished every time they moved, while he wore a display full of feathers that made him look five times his natural size to attract the eyes of every monster that might come prowling in the area. Each one had a talent of some sort, too. Instruments of all sorts, singers, dancers... And he took the time to change the routine to include them all. He eagerly listened to their personal stories and wished he could reunite them with their loved ones, but Sylvando didn't know how possible it was in this new, darker world.

Beginning the daily march from the lovely L'Academie de Notre Maitre les Medailles, the troupe headed south in the direction of Phnom Nohn. He snapped his fingers and the music started up, dancers alongside his huge float began to dance. He held large feather fans in his hands as he twirled about, hoping to draw the attention of any monsters nearby away from any civilian survivors. As the parade came closer to the bridge that united the Northern and Southern halves of the Champs Savage, he noticed a human surrounded by four weretigers. The man brandished a spear in both hands, trying to stand his ground, but he was wounded enough to be bleeding, and those claws were coming faster than he could counter.

"Ah, Sylv!" one of the performers called out in a high pitched voice. "Look at that!"

"There's a brave one," another said, entranced by watching him fight.

Sylvando reached for his sword and shield, leaping off the float and right into the fight without any hesitation. "Enter the Great Sylvando~!"

"...you didn't have to do that," the stranger said, planting the spear into the ground and using it to swing his body around to hit every one of the monsters in one motion. It didn't knock them all out, but it did take care of half of them. He breathed heavily, damn near collapsing out of exhaustion. He must have been fighting off hoards of them to get like this, especially if he could use his body as a weapon like that.

"Don't be a party pooper, darling," Sylvando retorted, pulling out his flute and playing a happy little tune. It seemed to boost the stranger's morale enough to take his mind off of his wounds. He couldn't help himself but to support his ally, regardless if he knew him or not. With that, he brandished his blade again, and ran at one with a heavy swing. Another dead.

His desperation couldn't be held back - the stranger's will to survive had manifested in a bright blue aura that enhanced his abilities. "The show must go on!" he shouted, concentrating all of his might into one attack. All of his body became like an arrow, and he rushed at the final enemy. His power seemed to be a bit too much for him to handle, however, as when the final monster had vanished into nothing, he fell back onto the bridge, unresponsive.

"Oh, sweetheart," Sylvando sighed, reaching into his pocket. He had been saving his last Yggdrasil Leaf for an emergency. This seemed more important right now. He used it quickly, frowning at the reckless use of power like that. But looking at the stranger's clothing, it was clear this man was used to being on stage. It wasn't for the circus, but he had seen actors wear these sorts of clothes. And that large brimmed feathered cap would only belong to a thespian or a bard. Most considered those hats a bit too flashy for their styles. He snapped his fingers, and several of the guys of his company picked the stranger up and carried him over to the space in his parade float that was specifically built to provide protection for any wanderers they found while on patrol.

"Wha..." the stranger started to sit up, bewildered at where he found himself.

"You'll stay there and rest now, darling, or I'll have someone cast Snooze on you. Don't think I won't!" Sylvando said directly. "I'll let you out once we reach the city. I won't have you hurting yourself in your condition."

"What are you lot doing out here?"

"Spreading happiness. There's not enough of it in this drab world."

"Ha," the stranger scoffed. "I hate to be the one point this out to you, carnie, but there isn't a place for the preforming arts anymore."

"I have to politely disagree with you, honey," Sylvando said, his hands on his hips. The stranger seemed completely baffled that he was unaffected being called a social slur like that. He must have heard that a million times to not show a reaction - everyone else he ever used that word with had lost their minds over it. "We need it now more than we ever have."

"Now there's an optimism I haven't seen in what feels like forever..."

Sylvando leaned in, smiling. "So, what's your name, handsome?"

"Surya," the stranger said, blushing a bit at being called that.

"Is that right? Now where have I heard that name before?" Sylvando asked. "Ah! You're a part of an acting troupe! I saw a playbill emblazoned with Surya Kala all over it a few times the last time I was in Heliodor~ You must be that Surya!"

"...was," Surya answered.

"I'll hear no more of that, darling. Rest up. Once we get this parade back to town, we can talk more~ It's so nice meeting yet another man of the stage!"


	2. Chapter 2

Crossing Destiny

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Quest XI! OCs belong to me and my friends.

Notes: Oh, Hendrik... *daydreamy sigh*

Warnings: OCxCanon, plot modified to suit said OCs being utilized

Massive Story Spoilers. You have been warned. This fic starts at the beginning of Act II.

FIC START!

-Part 2-

Surya came out of the float once the parade reached Phnom Nohn. He wasn't sure if he was angry or grateful, or a mix of both. As he passed through all the men that made up the parade, he headed up the stairs to get away from it and all their false enthusiasm. How could anyone still cling to that with the world in this condition? He found a bench under an awning when he noticed the sky had grown darker than usual this time of day. He could still see them, shaking their butts and playing their music from this distance, letting all of the people of the town gather around them. Everyone except Sylvando. He sighed, leaning back into the bench. Were they all going to party out there in the coming rain? When, in this new world, there were no more traveling doctors, there were hardly any trained in the healing arts to be found... they'd let themselves get sick like that? He rolled his eyes at it, just wondering if he'd ever be able to make it back home on his own.

That's when steam started to cloud his vision. For a moment he was confused, until he looked down to see a warm mug of cocoa being offered to him.

"Take it, honey. A chill wind blows through here," Sylvando said, sitting next to him. He had a cup of his own. " _Salut_."

"Mm, _salut_ ," Surya repeated, clinking his cup against Sylvando's, and the two of them took the first drink of their cocoa. "Let me guess. You want me to join your troupe."

"As much as I would love to have another capable warrior in our parade, I can't force you, darling," Sylvando replied. "If you don't want to bring happiness, you won't be of much use to our traveling show."

"It's not that I don't like bringing smiles to people," Surya replied quietly, staring at the cocoa in his cup. "Or tears... It's the highest honor to know that I've managed to reach hearts enough to affect their emotions at all. But now... is it not more important to survive?"

"Why bother surviving if you aren't going to enjoy yourself?" Sylvando asked. "There's no point in living just to live."

"I'm under the impression that one day, we'll have the strength to take back our world. We don't know how many of us are still out there." Surya took another sip. When was the last time even had cocoa? In Puerto Valor, ages ago, also under covering from the rain. When he closed his eyes, he could see the bright white stones against the brilliant blue of the sea even in the rainfall.

Sylvando leaned back against the bench. The wind blew a bit harder, and they both heard the rain above them beating against the awning. Several townsfolk started panicking and being fussy over their children getting wet. Everyone ran for cover, and all the parade members gathered in the inn. "We aren't dead yet, darling. We shouldn't resign ourselves to it. I refuse to allow those weaker than I to suffer, even if I am the only one that will fight on their behalf now."

"You said you were spreading happiness."

"It's the same thing, _no_?" Sylvando said. "How can someone be happy if they're in danger?"

"...fair enough."

"I have to ask. Where are you from, honey?"

"Puerto Valor, but the day the world fell, I'd been on a bit of a world tour."

"Ah~ _Yo tambien_!" Sylvando squealed.

"Being from Valor, or on tour?"

" _Ambos_! It wasn't for an act, but I was on a tour." He leaned into Surya. "We're on all sorts of wavelengths~ Tell me you'll come back to the inn with me, sweetheart~"

"I'll have to rent a room myself, considering I'm so far from home," Surya replied, not sure what to make of this guy leaning into him so hard. It made him blush just a little. "T _odo bien..._ "

"I'll bring a smile to your face. That is a Sylvando promise."

"...Sylvando? **THE** Sylvando?"

"Is there any other?" Sylvando stroke a pose.

"I guess there aren't," Surya said, finishing his cocoa. "But I'm not moving until the rain stops."

Sylvando stood up, letting the rain soak him to the bone. He danced out in it before looking back at Surya. "Come with me," he said, winking.

"I'd rather not get wet-"

And suddenly he was standing in the rain next to Sylvando, the rain soaking through his clothing, too. Sylvando danced around Surya a few times, singing something too quickly for him to understand.

"Sylvando!" Surya yelled, now shuddering because he was so cold. "Why!?"

"Because, darling, you need to open your heart a bit more," Sylvando sang, twirling around a few times. "Come, dance with me in the rain~ Show the world that no matter what state it is in, you will not give in to despair~" He struck another pose. "Come, all of Phnom Nohn! Show the world you will not give in to despair!"

Surya grunted as he started to head to the inn, wrapping his arms underneath his cape. Sylvando just kept skipping and enjoying himself as he followed, until both of them were in the inn together.

"Oh, Sylv!" one of his paraders said, coming up to him. "You'll ruin your feathers if you keep doing that!"

"Dry them correctly and you don't have to worry about ruining costumes," Surya grunted, heading up to the front desk to inquire about a bed for the night.

"You know a lot about stage management?" another of the paraders asked. "We could ask for your help, dearie~ Even pay you for it~"

"I was an actor before..." Surya said. "What do you need help with, exactly? Costumes, sets?"

"We need a new man for the ensemble," Sylvando said behind him, reaching into his sack to pull out a tailor's tape measure.

"I'm not joining your silly troupe, and I'm certainly not wearing one of your flamboyant uniforms."

Sylvando seemed to ignore him as he began to measure all of Surya's limbs quickly.

"Actually," the parader said. "We'd like to set up a stage around here for the people. We can't be here to entertain them all the time if we're going to travel and take care of survivors all around the world, so we thought to teach them how to entertain themselves."

Surya smiled. "Now that sounds like something I can help with while I'm here." He pulled out a coin pouch to pay the innkeeper, letting out a yawn. He needed to get out of these clothes before he caught a cold. "I'll be more than happy to help you, but can it wait until I've had the chance to get some shut-eye?"

"Oh! You've had a change of heart, have you?" Sylvando squealed again. "We're going to make a fantastic team, darling~"

" _...caramba_ ," Surya grunted as he headed up the stairs, ready to sleep for a week.

* * *

Mahina followed Hendrik as he made his way through the village. He was thanked very much by many people, all of whom she was too scared to say much of anything to. Military and common folk all held him in such a high regard. She listened to their constant praise of him, and he made small talk with all of them. Every now and then, he invited Mahina to join in the conversations, but she didn't seem able to speak to them. Children came along to tell him that they wanted to grow up to be as big and strong as he was. How admired he was. But amid all of those pleasantries, Hendrik kept a solemn, yet kind expression. He accepted their words, but she couldn't figure out whether he believed he was as gallant as they all made him out to be.

Hendrik stepped up to the wooden porch outside the King's tent, and a knight announced his presence. Carnelian's voice called out for him to enter, and he obeyed, immediately taking a knee of respect. Mahina only waited there, as she was not called, and she didn't want to be disrespectful.

"Is that Mahina out there, Hendrik?" Carnelian asked.

"Yes, your majesty," the knight answered. "She is... shy about meeting with you."

He made a motion with his hand to let the guards welcome her into the tent as well. She stepped in slowly, and immediately fell to her knees.

"Is there anything you need, Hendrik?"

"No, sire."

"And of you, Mahina?"

"I have all I need, sire. Keep your resources for those that need them, please," Mahina answered him.

"Please," King Carnelian said, standing up. "You have no reason to remain on ceremony. Come to your feet."

Hendrik came up first, and turned around to offer his hand to Mahina. She took it, and then she was at a full stand again.

"It is always good to see you well," Carnelian stated. "Hendrik, you have served me tirelessly, despite my undeserving. I cannot thank you enough."

"You need not thank me, Your Majesty."

"Mahina," Carnelian motioned for her to step closer, and when she seemed as if she was too nervous to come forward, Hendrik put his hands on her shoulders and made her step forward. "I would like to thank you for how you've looked after Hendrik. If you have a request, please let me know. If it is in my power, I will grant it to you."

"Oh, you don't need to-"

"He's been taught to take care of himself from a young age," Carnelian said. "He would never ask another to do this, as that is against his personal code. That is how I know you are doing this of your own volition. If you cannot think of anything at this moment, that is fine. I will never refuse you an audience."

She blushed brightly and bowed her head again. "Th-thank you, sire!"

"Why exactly did you come to see me?" Carnelian asked.

"I wished to discuss reports with you," Hendrik replied, pulling a parchment from the sachel hanging off of his belt.

"Oh, Hendrik. There will be time for that before you leave on your patrol tomorrow morning," Carnelian said, smiling beneath that fluffy mustache of his. "You should not make your lady wait through these things."

"Sire?" Hendrik asked, blinking in confusion. "But I have seen new monsters, and-"

"I know you had no training in regards to these things, and that is why I don't expect you to understand," Carnelian continued.

"It's all right, sire," Mahina said. "I can go ahead and wait for you, Hendrik."

"I'd rather Hendrik not lose his companion due to his inexperience," Carnelian laughed. "When ladies say that, it is usually meant in frustration."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, sire..." Hendrik said, shaking his head a bit.

"Hendrik, listen closely. Until morning, you are to not leave Mahina's side. Take care of her as she has taken care of you. That's an order."

Mahina blushed profusely, quickly beginning to stammer, "But, I- I- I don't need..." as she walked swiftly out of the tent.

"Hendrik," Carnelian said. "You may not see it, but it is clear she has affection for you."

"As a knight, how can I think of-"

"One day, you will want to go home and remain there. All men eventually do," the king explained. "There were generals before you, and there will be generals after you, Hendrik. Now, to your task of the night." He stood up from his makeshift throne, beginning to step out of the tent with his ever loyal knight following him. They both noticed Mahina standing there, staring out at the town down the hill, still red in the face. The knights guarding the tent hadn't let her go further, as she hadn't been dismissed by the king yet. "I am curious to find what Miss Amber has planned, gathering everyone like this." He made a wave of his hand, and then motioned for both Hendrik and Mahina to follow him.

"If there was ever a lady doing her best to keep everyone's spirits up," Hendrik agreed, recalling in his mind how he had spent so much effort chasing after the stouthearted woman's son before the fall of society and wondering what had happened to him after the Dark One had made his presence known within the very heart of the World Tree. There wasn't much he understood about his own survival.

"Miss Amber is very kind," Mahina nodded as she followed the others. Her eyes wandered around, taking in the rest of the crushed village turned fortress. "She has come to check on me a few times while you've been away, Hendrik."

"I must make sure to thank her, then," Hendrik said.

Carnelian turned his head a bit, and he noticed that Mahina's distant expression. He had seen that exact look on noble ladies in the past, and so many young men making the wrong moves over the years... He stopped, and those two stopped right behind him.

"What's wrong?" Hendrik asked. "Forgive me, I did not bring my weaponry, I-"

"Mahina," Carnelian said, softer than before. "Will you come here, please?"

"Sire?" she stepped forward. "Ha-Have I d-done something wrong?"

"Goodness, no," the king said, shaking his head just a bit. These two would need more than just gentle hints, it seemed. Here was a girl with an obvious crush that didn't know how to act on it, and a man oblivious to just how much he was being admired. "Hendrik... you don't have to keep up with me. Offer the lady your arm."

Hendrik hesitated for a moment, and Mahina only looked up at him curiously to see if he was going to do it. But, he couldn't disobey an order from the king, so he did exactly as he was told. He extended an arm to her, and when the king nodded to her, she wrapped her arm around his. It gave her a bashful, yet thankful smile. Like this was exactly what she was waiting for, but there was no way she'd be able to say anthing about it. Hendrik, seeing that expression, couldn't help feeling his heart skip a beat. He smiled, too.

"Now that's a sight I wish I could see more often," Carnelian said, clapping a few times. "Love is oft forgotten in troubled times, but it should be the reason we fight to survive in the first place. It is why we strive to live at all, isn't it?" He turned back around and headed down the path, finding himself in an elevated mind suddenly. His beautiful wife had long since passed, and he could only have imagined how his daughter would have reacted when she met a boy she liked... would she have been bashful about it? Or perhaps more forward the way the queen had been when she was still alive? He thought back to long walks through gardens with his wife. How they spoke of their future together. The love they made the night their daughter was concieved...

"Now are you glad to have seen the king with me?" Hendrik asked, leading her down the path.

"Yes..." She was so happy, she could have cried.

"Mahina..." he said, "...Forgive me, I am inexperienced with... matters of..."

"Don't apologize," Mahina said. "I... like you the way you are."

"Oh..." Hendrik smiled just a bit wider upon hearing that. Suddenly, he felt as if he'd been overcome with the shypox! How could she have been so cute so suddenly? Why did he not see it before?

"Hendrik?"

"Mmm?"

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"You saved my life without even knowing who I was. You were at my side as much as you could be while I was bedridden. You never failed to tend to me when no one else in the village would. You gave me a home," Mahina explained, her delicate sea-blue eyes shimmering like moonlight on the waves as she gazed up at him. "Despite my clumsiness, despite my social anxiety, you're still here. So thank you."

He spoke in a soft voice. It had to have been softer than she'd ever heard him speak to her before. "For all those things, you are most welcome..."

The rest of the night was peaceful. All of the survivors and the soldiers had gathered around tables together, where Amber had bowls of stew passed to every man, woman, and child. She demanded they celebrate the fact that they were still alive amid all the darkness. Bards took turns strumming their lutes and tulas, dancers spun around, children laughed and sang along. Even if they were not all warriors, they all had a duty to keep each other fighting. When she came to see Hendrik and Mahina so close, she couldn't help but remark on it with a "...took you two long enough..." which caused the King to laugh more heartily than he had in what seemed like eons. Even with all the activity going on around them, they couldn't pay much attention to anything else but each other.

Eventually, Mahina was utterly exhausted from all the fun. She yawned, falling against Hendrik's shoulder. Many of the other villagers had fallen asleep right there where they partied. Hendrik picked her up into his arms, the exact same way he carried her the day he found her, to head back up to their tiny little cabin. She breathed deeply and evenly, even as he lay her down into her bed. He headed to the bed right next to hers, pulling off his boots and gloves. He watched her for a few minutes as he pulled his clothing off, until he was down to just his undershorts. He started to lay down himself, listening to Mahina's tiny little snores. That meant she was finally in a restful sleep, and he could let his guard down, too.

Tomorrow, there'd be addressing the king and trying to venture further despite all the monsters. He needed the rest. And the support. Hendrik would come home wounded and hungry again. He could only see Mahina standing there with a ladle in her hand, smiling, waiting with a bowl of hot stew for him. At least, he looked forward to it.


	3. Chapter 3

_Crossing Destiny_

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Quest XI! OCs belong to me and my friends.

Notes: ...none for now, I guess.

Warnings: OCxcanon, plot modified to suit said OCs being utilized

 **Massive Story Spoilers. You have been warned. This fic starts at the beginning of Act II.**

FIC START

-Part 3-

The next time Mahina opened her eyes, she wondered if sunlight would ever come through the window again. Ever since the fall of Yggdrasil, the world had no daytime. But, then she noticed she was in her bed, snugly wrapped in her blanket. She didn't remember laying down last night. They were at that village celebration, or whatever it was... She looked over to Hendrik's bed. Empty. Of course. At this time of day, it would be. As long as she'd known him, he had never slept in, not once. She let out a long yawn, pulling herself out of bed and having a good stretch. She walked over to the stove, finding a bowl with some eggs all ready prepared. Mahina smiled at that. Hendrik had never made her breakfast before! She picked up a fork immediately and took a bite. Sure, they were a bit plain, but that didn't matter. She brought her bowl over to the table and looked at the letter she never finished from the day before. Should I finish it? she wondered in thought, picking it up to reread it as she kept eating the bowl of eggs. Mahina thought about all of her time here, and she thought about how Hendrik had to have all ready left the village to begin his quest to find survivors and take notes of the monster activity. That's when she decided to put the letter in the sack with all the other letters she had written over the months, and she plucked the sack off of the wall. After finishing her simple breakfast, she dressed herself and picked up her sack of letters to head out of the tiny cabin.

The other villagers were busy, the soldiers all were in training. She watched a few swordsmen and their duel, until one of them knocked the other off his feet. And they started anew. Mahina wondered about a knight's battle training. What she knew of combat was self taught, and all she learned how to use when she was still attending the academy was a spare wand that her classmate had loaned to her. She had been using magic casually for most of her life, until the world changed and she sustained that injury which left her bedridden. She had a hard time casting magic reliably since then, which made her sad. If she was ever going to grow enough to accompany Hendrik on his missions out into the monster-filled countryside, she was going to have to learn to defend herself. He wouldn't be able to always protect her. He would swear to her that he would, but Mahina didn't want to be a burden. She refused to be. As she carried her sack over to a gathering of soldiers, they turned to address her.

"Ah, Miss Mahina," a guard said respectfully. "The Hero requests that your needs be looked after. Whatever it is you need, we'll take care of it."

"Oh, did he?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "You guys have more important things to do than to look after me." Mahina then lifted up her sack to hand it to them. "I know you are looking for waste to dispose of. You may need more fuel for fires and things, so I brought you this."

A second guard picked up the sack. "It's quite heavy."

"Mmm. Should keep the fires going a while. Better being put to use than just taking up space in the cabin," Mahina said, shrugging. "I... would like to make a request, though."

"Anything!" both guards said together, making a salute.

"Would you... be kind enough to teach me the ways of the sword?" she asked.

"Oh," the first guard stammered. "I don't know if we can do that."

"Yeah, that's for squires," the second added.

"...don't worry about it," she said, looking down at the ground. "Thank you for your help." After thinking about it, she knew she wasn't exactly strong enough to wield a sword. At least, not yet. She noticed some tied up logs used for fireplaces stacked up outside a house, so she picked them up with one of her hands. It was so heavy, she almost fell over. So she picked it up with both hands. She flopped onto her butt, looking around to see if anyone was paying any attention to her or not. If she was going to get stronger, she couldn't see any other ways to do it. So she stood up, holding those bundled up logs in both hands, pulling them up evenly over and over again. It made her sweat, but she didn't mind. She was going to get stronger one way or the other.

Eventually, after what felt like forever, she was approached by someone she didn't expect at all.

"Well, look what we have here... you know the soldiers are more than welcome to assist you if you can't manage, right?"

Mahina watched as the figure walked around her to stand in front of her instead. "Miss Amber...?"

Amber put her hands on her hips. "I told all of those Heliodorians to drop the miss, and I'll tell you, too. It's just Amber. Now. What are you doin' out here? I don't tend to see you that far from home."

Mahina bit her lip. "I... I want to get stronger. So I can help!"

"For your man, hmm?" Amber asked, grinning in a very motherly sort of way.

Mahina blushed. "W-What?!"

"I think everyone in Last Bastion knows after last night. You're so in love with our Hero you don't know what to do with yourself. Ah, I remember when I had found my love. I was swept all up in it, too." Amber bore a very daydreamy expression for a few moments before, extending her hand to Mahina to help her stand up. "How lucky Hendrik is!"

"I tried asking the soliders if they'd train me, but they said that's for squires," Mahina continued.

"Sounds about right. I don' know where you're from, dear, but it's not typical for girls to learn to fight here," Amber said. "From what I've heard, you take care of your house, make sure he comes home to food. You're doing great."

"...but there might be days when he won't make it back home," she said. "I want to be able to go with him without being a burden."

Amber shook her head. "Oh. So that's it."

"If I am able to stand against his back, and he against mine, we could defend each other, and-"

"If you really wanna get strong enough to do that, you won't get it liftin' logs back here."

"What do you mean?"

"You're gonna have to fight monsters, dear," Amber said, motioning for her to follow as she continued up the path towards her old home. "You have a weapon?"

"I had one, before... I lost everything," Mahina answered, frowning.

"What was it?"

"A simple wooden wand. My friend from Arboria gave it to me."

Amber nodded. "Well, I imagine we can find some sort of wand around here. Might not be as fancy, but we can find something." She opened the door, even though most of the walls of the house were nothing more but collapsed stone. With a heavy heart, she went back to one of the wardrobes to pull it open. The thing must have secretly been enchanted to still stand through all this town had suffered. "Thought so. My dear ol' daddy was a magician, too. Tell me what you think of this." She reached into it, pulling out a wand about the length of a forearm made of solid wood. At the top was an Artful Amethyst. It wasn't complex as some wand that Mahina had seen, especially in her school days, but it was enough. It was something she could start with.

"Can I really use it?" Mahina asked excitedly.

"It'd do you more use than it would being kept here. I'm sure my daddy wouldn't have wanted it just to gather dust," Amber said, handing it to her. "Besides... helping you does me ol' heart good." She smiled. "Well, how does it feel?"

Mahina grasped the handle of the wand with her left hand. It felt like forever since she'd been armed at all, but she hadn't forgot how to use it. She rose the wand overhead and felt her healing powers manifest almost effortlessly. A healing breeze swept over the two of them. Amber felt it, too. She smiled widely, surprised to see how naturally Mahina was able to use it. "Wow, this... is way better than being dizzy after casting..."

"Dizzy?" Amber asked.

"Mmm. Every time Hendrik comes home from a trip, I'd been casting magic to heal his wounds accumulated while out in the field," Mahina explained carefully. "But when I cast it, I'd been getting dizzy."

Amber turned to look at the bookshelf, or rather, where the bookshelf used to be before the city was destroyed. "I wish my daddy's book still existed, or I'd give it to you. He'd always looked after us. Every time we got hurt, he would heal us. I suppose you could go down to the chapel and ask if they have any books on holy magic. See if they can teach you something about it."

"That's a good idea. I'll see if I can ask about it. Thank you for the idea!"

"I've never heard of someone becoming dizzy because they used magic. Did that ever happen to you before... everything happened?" Amber asked, cocking her head to the side as she thought about it.

"No," Mahina replied. "But I won't be of much use in battle if what I'm able to do only makes me more of a hinderance."

"There has to be some reason why that happens. So. You keep that wand, and you keep doing your research. Eventually, you'll be out there, standing with Hendrik, strong enough to protect him."

"You really think so?"

"As persistant as you are, how can I not?" Amber asked, stepping out of her old home and closing the door behind her. "Now I've got chores to get back to, dear. Make sure that you do yours, too."

"Yes, ma'am," Mahina said, grasping the wand that much tighter. She hung it from a loop on her belt so she could have both of her hands. She headed down the path, following after Amber. The darkness above still hung there as it had every single day since she came to live here. She wondered what the land here looked like underneath the sunlight as she came to a large clearing. Across the way was the chapel that Amber mentioned, so she decided to head over to it. She didn't want to be a bother, but... if there was a chance that they might be able to help... she had to take that chance.

The villagers said that the chapel was the only building in the entire village that was spared when the place was decimated. When she walked up to the door, she found the pews mostly empty. An older man wearing the holy frock stood at the podium, and he seemed quite surprised to have a visitor at all.

"Oh," the priest said, stepping away from the podium. "What brings you to our humble church today, child?"

Mahina told herself in her mind what to say again before she opened her mouth to speak. "I don't mean to bother you, sir..." she began.

"You cannot bother me, child," the priest said, stepping closer to her. "Even in these troubled times, our goddess will bring those that need assistance to me. It is my purpose to help those that need it."

"I'm looking for something," she said. "Miss Amber said to ask if it is here."

"If there is anything at all here, you are more than welcome to it," the priest said. "Especially if Amber is the one that needs it."

Mahina bit her lip. She was going to have to power through her inability to speak with people if she was going to grow past this.

"Come now, do not be shy."

"It's not Miss Amber that needs it," she continued. Her brow furrowed upward.

"Then you need it, correct? Please tell me what you need. It pains me to see you hurting so."

"I have been casting holy magic as long as I can remember," Mahina explained. "But... after what happened the day Yggdrasil fell, every time I attempt at casting magic, I'm left dizzy... that never used to happen before. And every time Hendrik comes home, I'd been tending to his wounds, because the village can't afford to have him abed with infections... Miss Amber said to come here and see if you have any books on holy magic, to see if we can determine the cause."

"It almost sounds as if you have been cursed, but I have never heard of a curse that affects magical abilities," the priest said kindly. "There are books back here, child, if you wish to come and look through them." He motioned for her to follow him, and she did. There were sacred recipes for equipment, but she didn't find any books about magic there at all. Mahina wondered what she could do about this. The Grand Library of Heliodor didn't exist anymore, with the entire castle town having been turned into a crater. There were other majestic libraries out there, too. Well, in the past there were. There was a nice one back at L'Academie, and she heard about there being one in the snowfields. But who knew if they survived the fall of Yggdrasil? The priest had her sit down as he went through his own holy book, seeing if he had missed something. "If you may permit me to ask, child... what exactly happened to you? When did this all start?"

"I was leaving Gondolia to cross the sea. I had arrived there after traveling on my own for quite a way by then. But I had a wand and a bit of magic to work with, so the monsters really were no trouble at all. Boarded a ship to head north, through the strait, and on up to Sniflhiem to meet up with a friend," Mahina said. "I was on the ship when the World Tree plumetted to the ground. All of us were in shock. A large monster, larger than any I'd ever seen before, climbed onto the ship's deck. Even though I tried to fight with other warriors, I was quickly knocked out by some black magic... fell into the water. Next thing I knew, I was washed up on the sands, unable to move at all. That's when Hendrik saved me from becoming food for a bunch of Drakees." She shrugged. "I have no idea what could give this sort of status effect. I just know that I need my magic back!"

"Whatever that monster was must have cursed you..." the priest responded, his tone still very soft. "...unfortunately, I don't know if there's any way to track down a large monster of the sea in times such as these."

"I need to be able to cast my magic," Mahina insisted. "I have to help Hendrik!"

"Mmm," the priest nodded. "Well. You are quite motivated, child. I believe you will be able to undo this curse yourself."

"...really? What is it? I'll do anything!"

"There was once a story I read of a man of great renown having his powers sealed away, and he went on a quest with that curse on him anyway because his party wanted him there. Over time, he broke the curse simply by being persistent enough," the priest explained. "Keep doing what you're doing. Stay true to your heart. You will beat it. It will not beat you."

"Basically. I have to power through it," she said.

"Yes."

"I should have expected there wouldn't be an easy answer," Mahina said, standing back up. "Thank you very much, sir. I will take to heart your guidance."

"Come back, should you ever need to talk," the priest said, waving as she stepped out of the church to head back up to the tiny little cabin she shared with Hendrik. She was determined to find a way to be strong enough to assist him, no matter what it took.

When she reached her home, she started the daily upkeep with it. Putting things back in their place, starting a pot of stew, making sure everything was right where it needed to be. And once she was done, she looked back at the wall where her sack of letters once hung. It was this time that she usually would have started writing another letter because she didn't know what else to do with herself. Mahina took the wand from her belt to examine it for a moment. And when the door started to open, she immediately put it away in anticipation of seeing her beloved again.

"Forgive me for disturbing you, miss," it was one of the soldiers. "But I've been told to come fetch you."

"Is that so?" she asked. "Who calls for me?"

"The King. Please come with me, miss. Quickly."

She nodded, reducing the fire underneath her pot so she could leave. The soldier led her to close to the gate that led outside the village. She hadn't stepped out of the gate since she came to live here. For too long, she was bedridden and unable to even walk this far. She could see how the word for Cobblestone was still etched in the archway that served as the town's gate, even though they hadn't used that name in a long while. Mahina approached the king while he was addressing someone else, so she waited until he was finished.

"I have brought her, sire," the soldier said when he noticed that she wasn't making her presence known.

"Mmm," Carnelian said, turning slightly to see her. "Thank you. Return to your task... Mahina, I've some pressing news."

"What is it, your majesty?" she asked.

"A team left this morning to do the usual routes with Hendrik leading them," Carnelian answered her. "However..."

She gasped. She couldn't help but fear the worst.

"Many of those dispatched with him have returned, a few of them injured beyond what we have seen before, but... he has not."

"No..." she shook her head, feeling tears burn her eyes.

"I wish to dispatch another team to search for him," Carnelian continued.

"I will go," she said. Mahina was looking for an opportunity to help, and she wasn't going to push it away. If he really was missing, or hurt, then she had to do for him what he did for her.

"...that is a lovely sentiment, child, but I cannot send you out there... the monsters are vicious, far more than they were before..."

"King Carnelian," she said. "Please, let me search for him. Let me find him. If he truly is injured, what are we going to do without him? We need Hendrik!"

"Yes, of course we do," the king agreed. "We will gather a party at once, and we will find him."

"And what if he's on the brink of death when they do?" Mahina pleaded. "I have healing magic! Please, sire, I beg of you!"

"I couldn't send you-"

"You said I could ask you for any favor," she said quickly. "Let this be that favor, please!"

Carnelian could see it on her face. She wasn't going to be able to sit and wait for him to come home. At first, he regretted sending for her, but with that determination, he couldn't exactly turn her away. Mahina fell to her knees, looking up at him with this desperate love. He swallowed for a moment before nodding. "But you will not go alone. I forbid it. Hendrik would never forgive me if I sent out out there alone." He turned to soldiers that were standing on guard. "Call all able bodies this instant. Bring them here." He looked at Mahina for a moment. "Stay here. I will have equipment brought to you. If Hendrik comes through, you'll take care of him. If he does not by the time I return, I will have you join the search party for him. Understood?"

"Yes, your majesty," she nodded.

"...good."

"Um. King Carnelian?"

"Yes?"

"Th... thank you!"

"...thank me when we've found our Hero and returned him home, Mahina."

Mahina felt the tears stream down her cheeks. She mentally vowed to herself, to the whole of the Last Bastion, to Hendrik himself - she was going to find him and bring him home. Alive.

* * *

Surya slept in a lot longer than he thought he would. Or, at the very least, he felt like he slept a long time. He couldn't remember the last time he slept in a bed. It had to have been before Yggdrasil fell, at the very least. When he and his troupe were out on their tour, they didn't take up space at the inn. They never imposed on the normal travelers. Since this was their work, they carried camping equipment everywhere they went, and they never bothered the townsfolk with their doings. They would set up stages outside of towns, usually working with whatever they could find in the area, before they even started to do their shows. He sat up, looking out the window. Not only was it dark, but he could no longer see the moon or the stars. Two things that he always took comfort in every night, because no matter where he traveled to, he could always rely on them being there. Letting out a yawn, he pulled the blanket aside and reached for his now dry clothing.

"Good morning. Surya, darling~" came a voice on the other side of his room's door, and Surya let out a grunt. Sylvando was at it all ready, really? "...aww. I guess he's not awake yet..."

Another voice on the other side of his room's door asked, "Isn't this, like, the fifth time you've done this, Sylv?"

"You know I went out of my way to make all your sweeties feel welcome when you joined with us," answered Sylvando's cheerful reply. "I forgot to ask what he'd want for breakfast that I made a whole buffet's worth!"

"It's gone cold since, and Charlie's all ready started pigging out on the pancakes, Sylv."

"...that naughty little... _mmph_!"

Surya heard them stomping away. Did Sylvando really wake up that much earlier to surprise him with breakfast? He might have been overbearing, but Surya didn't get the impression that Sylvando was a bad person. A tad pushy, and misunderstanding of personal boundaries, but otherwise... He sighed, knowing that he was going to have to face all of the paraders and Sylvando when he left the room. He slowly pulled his clothes on and looked at himself in the mirror as he brushed out his hair. He hadn't cut it in what seemed like forever, and it had grown past his shoulders for the first time in his life. He wasn't going to cut it now. He didn't see a purpose in that. As Surya reached for his wide-brimmed feathered cap, he let out a quiet little sigh. He didn't mind helping the people of Phnom Nohn, but it wasn't going to help him get home any faster.

He headed towards the door after picking up his equipment bag. sliding it open with his left hand. As he headed downstairs, the music began. Several of the workers from the inn immediately put their hands over their ears. They were up partying all night and here they were, causing yet another commotion. Surya hated that. At least have some respect for the townsfolk! he thought.

"There you are, darling~" Sylvando squealed. "I've made you breakfast~" He pointed at a large table that could have seated at least twenty full of huge amounts of food. Every way that eggs could be prepared was on the table, as well as every sort of pancake, waffle, crepe... that wasn't counting all the meat on the table as well. "I didn't ask what you wanted, so-"

"You used all these resources to feed just me?" Surya asked, crossing his arms.

"A-are you angry?" Was... was Sylvando really crying?!

"I'm grateful," Surya stated. "Really. Thank you. But... with the world the way it is, the way we're having such a hard time surviving... crops won't grow if there's no sunlight, which we haven't seen in months, and-"

"This is not going to waste, darling," Sylvando said. "It isn't just for us. Whatever we don't eat, I will give to the rest of the village. No one is going hungry while Sylvando and his merry band is in town~ This I promise you. Go on. Fill up a plate!"

Surya was going to absolutely refuse, stomp out, and try once again to cross the Champs Savage on his own, but his stomach let out a long gurgly growl. How long had it been since he had a decent meal? He did eat some berries out of some bushes a few days ago, but that was all he could honestly remember.

"I knew you'd be hungry," Sylvando said, smiling at him. "Go on, go on! Eat, sweetheart!"

He picked up a plate, gave himself a little bit of everything, and took it outside. Sylvando allowed the rest of his troupe to have a plate, and then he arranged for the people working at the inn to deliver every little bit of the leftovers to the families that lived in the village. He slipped them extra coin that he had made taking care of monsters outside the village before going back to doing is very best to bring a smile to everyone around him. He brought a plate full of hard boiled eggs and sausage to sit next to Surya.

"...you didn't have to do this," Surya said, not looking up from his plate.

"Of course I didn't," Sylvando answered happily. "That's the point. We do things we don't have to do just to brighten someone's day. Sometimes, it's all they need to lift them up out of the pits of despair."

"Are you saying you think I'm lost in some pit of despair?" Surya asked, taking a bite of his fried eggs on toast.

"...I don't think you're lost in despair, honey. You've settled into it."

"That's... that's..." Surya shook his head. "...That's not true."

"Then answer me this," Sylvando said, taking two of the eggs and tossing them into his mouth at the same time. He used his tounge to spin them about in his mouth before finally chewing and swallowing them. "What would it take to bring a smile to your face? Even in this world, we all have to want more than just to survive from the day to day, darling. You seem so eager to just take off with your weapons... what on Earth are you questing for?"

"I... I'm questing for..." Surya blushed a bit, shoving bacon into his mouth to avoid having to finish his statement.

"Tell me, or I'm going to bother you until you do!"

"...Inspiration," Surya answered finally. "Goddess above, all I really want is to feel inspired again. I used to be so motivated. I used to wake up wanting to be on stage, singing and preforming my heart out, seeing the world from every vantage point... I'm jealous that you can keep going with your constant cheer patrolling and all I can see is the darkness that looms everywhere. I want to say that I'm simply being a realist, but-"

"What would give you that inspiration?" Sylvando asked, leaning into Surya.

"That's... that's what I'm questing for. I thought for a while that if I could make it back home, maybe I'd find it again..."

"We don't even know if Puerto Valor still stands, sweetie."

"I thought about that, too. Would it crush my ability to even be able to be on stage again if I saw my beautiful home turned to monster-filled rubble? The only way to know is..." he sighed. "To actually get there."

"Maybe the troupe and I should help you get back home," Sylvando suggested. "Once we take care of what we're going to do here."

"You'd do that for me?"

"I spent all this time making a feast to ensure that you'd be able to eat whatever you wanted for breakfast," Sylvando said, sticking a sausage in his mouth. He held it there for a few seconds before eating it one bite at a time. "You think I wouldn't?"

"Fair enough," Surya laughed, finishing up his breakfast.

"If I am able to make you smile, then you will be able to make others smile. It is efficient to assist you, because it helps me in the long run. You see?"

"Sylvando..."

"Yes, Surya?"

"Thank you."


	4. Chapter 4

Crossing Destiny

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Quest XI!

Notes: If you'd like your OC included, please contact me.

Warnings: OCxcanon

 **Massive Story Spoilers. You have been warned. This fic starts at the beginning of Act II.**

FIC START!

-Part 4-

Surya refused to wear the gaudy get-up that Sylvando made for him somehow when no one was paying attention to him, but that didn't stop him from assisting in gathering supplies outside the village to build a stage for the people of Phnom Nohn. He fought off a monster as they approached him cutting wood, or if they crossed his path while taking it back to the place that Sylvando had designated for it. He was annoyed at the people though. They just let the members of the parade do what they wanted. He couldn't tell if the people were complacent, or just stupid. He thought the town leaders would have something to say about where to put their stage. Maybe they would have wanted it in a place that wouldn't get in the way of other travelers, or block the path to somewhere vital for the town's survival, but no. Sylvando was the one that did the planning and taking all of that into account. Were these people really worth entertaining at all? Half of them would just stare while the paraders worked on building the stage. Many of the people were invited over to be measured for costumes, should they be interested. Most of them had expressions on their faces like it was completely meaningless, though. Not a shred of gratitude from them. But that didn't stop Sylvando from trying his best, despite being the first person to notice that his efforts might have gone to waste. He was frustrated. Not that he'd let it show! Surya admired his ability to stick to it. Always trying to make others happy. Always trying his best to assist everyone's path he crossed.

Surya brought out tools to start sanding down the wood, and some of the paraders assisted him. They didn't know what to do, but that didn't stop Surya from teaching them how to make the tools. He had taught many people in his acting troupe over the years how to do things like build stages and fix costumes. He wasn't much of a tailor, but every person should know how to mend rips in their clothing. As he saw more people coming together, he slowly felt his own motivation build up in getting this done. The more people that worked on it together, the faster it would be done, no matter how careful he was.

"If you want this to go faster," one of the paraders said. "We can all do the sanding. Why don't you and Sylv go fetch us some more wood to work with, since you're the fighters and can handle those nasty monsters, Surya-dear."

Surya stood up, fetching his weapons. "That would go faster, actually. I just wanted to make sure it was all done right. There's going to be children on these stages, and the last thing I want is to see one of them hurt because we cut corners."

"What a valiant thought, caring for the children so!" Sylvando chimed from across the circle where they had all been working the wood together. "You would have made an excellent knight!" He also stood up, collecting his battle gear and equipping it on himself to look as extravagant as he could on purpose. "Ah! We will bring plenty. These strong muscles accompanying me will not go to waste, mmmm~"

"Oh, stop it," Surya said, using his hat to hide his blush.

"Inching ever closer to that smile, I see."

He rolled his eyes, heading straight for the gateway out of the town, and Sylvando didn't wait for an invitation. Within a few short minutes, they were back out in the Champs Savage. They could see the monsters out in the distance as they gazed out across the field. There weren't many trees they could cut down in this closer area. They were going to have to either head further south, or back up closer to where the parade first rescued Surya near the bridge. The duo talked about it, noting how bad it was for the ecosystem if they were to just to take every tree in one given area. Both Sylvando and Surya were surprised to hear the other agree with that sentiment, for that exact reasoning. With that in mind, they headed further south than they would typically go. They both expected to find more trees similar to the ones right outside the gate of Phnom Nohn, but they were only greeted with a cave that smelled of mildew and rot.

"I don't think we'll be getting much from here," Sylvando said, turning around immediately.

"I honestly didn't remember the continent just ending here with a cave," Surya said. "Must have happened when the world ended."

"The world didn't end," Sylvando corrected him. "Because, at the very least, Phnom Nohn still exists."

Surya let out a sigh as they stepped out of the cave together. "Okay, I just have to ask you one thing before we go any further."

"Don't hold me in suspense, darling. Ask me anything~"

"...where does all your constant optimism even come from?"

Sylvando nodded, though that question hit him pretty hard. Surya didn't expect his mood to shift so suddenly like that. "That, honey, is a very good question," he answered, noticing the approach of some fat-bellied bongo-drumming monsters and a few orange she-slimes. He reached into his inventory and secured his whip, standing ready for them. "I suppose I was never allowed to see anything in a negative light."

"What?" Surya cocked his head a bit as he expected more of an answer than that. He really didn't know how to make much sense out of that. With the approach of the monsters, he found a boomerang in his equipment bag and drew it out. Seemed like there would be many of the same kind of monsters to dispatch this time.

"At least, if I am going to bring smiles to the faces of those without, I couldn't point out the negatives about their situation," Sylvando said. Once the monsters were right in front of them, he unleashed his Lashings of Love to hit three of them all at the same time. "That's not exactly helps someone feel better. But that... that doesn't mean that I don't see it myself."

Surya gasped, letting his boomerang fly in a way that would do more damage to the slimes. "Sylv-"

"I don't know why I feel like I can tell you that," Sylvando said, leaning over as he let his whip fly again. Two of the monsters fell over and faded to darkness. "I refuse to let you see me as someone that doesn't understand the state that the world is in, but... I can't let others see it that way! I cannot let them lose hope!"

The actor swung his boomerang again, and all the slimes that had gathered for this fight died. "I'm... I'm sorry, Sylv," he said.

Sylvando's body surged with energy, and he began to emit a bright blue glow. "The Great Sylvando takes the stage!" he shouted out, throwing up his hand dramatically.

Surya felt his own energy flicker a bit, too. He felt more determined than he had just a few moments ago. The same blue glow came from him and his hat flew up off his head a bit as he felt his body raise just a bit off the ground. He grasped his hands and let it completely embrace his entire being, letting out a proud, "The show must go on!"

"Follow my lead, darling~" Sylvando said, winking at him.

"According to the script," Surya agreed. He stepped forward and began to recite poetry with his hand over his part. Sylvando began to juggle his balls until they became enchanted with fire from the passionate words Surya spoke. Then Sylvando threw them up for them all to rain down on the enemies like tiny meteors. All of the monsters faded away, and all the balls returned to their owners hands.

"We make quite the team, don't we, sweetie?" Sylvando asked.

"Well," Surya said, fixing his hat. "It's hard to deny..."

"Let's go find that wood~" Sylvando chimed, leaning into him. " _Mi peque a preciosa~_ "

"Sylvando..."

"Hmm?"

 _"Lamento haberte dudado. La verdad es que envidio tu habilidad de estar siempre tan alegre,_ " Surya confessed, putting his boomerang back in his pack. " _Debo pedirte que me ense es."_

"...Surya, darling, _Me sentir a honrado de ense arte!_ "

Together they left the area where they had that small battle, and they found more wood to take to the village. They seemed to have some sort of understanding that went past speaking. Every time their eyes met, they shared smiles. They had a trust, even though they hadn't known each other very long. It didn't matter. Their connection only seemed to grow that much deeper the more time they spent together, regardless of what they were doing. Sylvando's happiness was infectious. It went from just one of the paraders' spirits being lifted, to eventually the whole troupe, and being around all of these people doing their best to live to the fullest warmed Surya's heart. After a while, Surya didn't bother renting a room apart from them - he had a cot in the huge room with everyone else. They had accepted him, even if he didn't feel completely a part of the group. Sharing laughter and work together. It reminded him of his old troupe, and he couldn't help but wonder what they were all doing in this world... if they still lived. But every time he started getting somber, Sylvando refused to allow him to sit in that feeling. This went on for days as the troupe built the stage and created costumes of all shapes and sizes. And, when it was all done, they threw a massive party to celebrate their accomplishment.

 _Even though_ , Surya thought to once they'd all passed around mugs of ale to everyone, _they have thrown a little party every night since Sylv rescued me._ He wasn't going to question Sylvando's method, though. It did help him feel better, and in turn, he was able to help with the mission in spreading smiles to everyone else. Maybe there was something to all of this, even if he didn't quite get it. He held out hope that he wouldn't be questioning it eventually.

* * *

King Carnelian had gathered a party together and placed Mahina within the center of the formation. She wasn't meant to be hit or even seen by the monsters. She held out the wand that Amber had just given her. It summoned a gentle replenishing rain upon the group of soldiers that would follow them as they set out from the gates of the Last Bastion. Mahina didn't see what it was like when she went in all that time ago. She was almost dead, passed out when Hendrik had found her that fateful day. So seeing the tunnels and the huge barricades filled her with dread. Was the world really this dangerous now? As the party came outside of the main gate, she saw a black horse chewing at some grass nearby.

"That's Obsidian!" one of the soldiers said. "Sir Hendrik's horse!"

"How is it unharmed, when Hendrik isn't here...?" Mahina gasped, wanting to race towards it, but another solider grabbed a hold of her right arm and stopped her. "Why can't I-"

"Miss Mahina, we must protect you. It is an order from the king," he said. "What if some monster appears from nowhere?"

"Then one of you should inspect his horse. See if we can get a clue," she suggested, grunting with annoyance. She crossed her arms, knowing why they were insistent about this, but it wasn't any less annoying. Mahina looked up at the sky. It was much more scary out here than it was back in the village. The way the Last Bastion had been constructed was all done with one purpose: To protect those within it. And out here, she felt exposed. Naked. There was little wind, and while it was a night-like overcast sky, the land was emitting a dark heat.

"There is nothing wrong with the horse, doesn't seem like there's anything out of the ordinary."

Mahina turned to look over the grasslands. Slimes with green glowing eyes bounced in the distance and green birds with menacing eyes sat in the branches of what few trees weren't ablaze. She noticed there was another tunnel that headed in a direction not to the Last Bastion, where Drakees flapped their bat wings as they circled around and around. She started to walk in that direction and the guards assigned to her followed suit. At that moment, they were stopped by a machine of some sort. While Mahina had been in battles before, she'd never seen anything like this.

"A killing machine!" one of the soldiers screamed. "Take it out!"

A hand summed up a Frizz, and a few of them charged at it with swords. It didn't seem to do much damage. The machine lifted up a sword, swinging it about. It hit several of the guards at once. Mahina put her hands out, and then upward, calling up a Buff. She had a hard time keeping her footing, but she was determined to stay up. One of the guards charged at the machine with a spear, using all of his strength for a desperate blow, but missed. The killing machine stepped closer and its one big red eye glowed, sending out a laser that hit everyone, causing their skin to sear in pain.

"Ouch!" Mahina screamed, clenching at her arm. "No! Not in my first real fight!"

"Miss Mahina, are you all right?" a guard next to her pressed a medical herb against her arm where she was hit, and it seemed to dissolve into the wound, relieving the pain.

"Thank you, sir...?"

"My name's not important," he answered. "We've all promised the king that you'd be kept safe, and a knight's promise is his bond. The battlefield is not a place for someone like you."

"No, I asked to be here," she said, shaking her head. "I want to be here! I want to help!"

The guard nodded in understanding. "Do you know how to use any attack magic at all? Most of us are trained with weaponry. We have a few mages in here, but not many."

"I can heal and support, but I've never cast an attack spell..." Mahina confessed. "...I honestly don't know how to do that."

"It's not difficult," another guard said behind her. "It's just like casting a support spell, really." He put his hands up and unleashed a Snooze spell at the killing machine, sending it into slumber. Which was weird, since it was a machine, but... it was sleeping anyhow.

"I can't imagine that's the case," another guard said. "If you just target the healing spell at an enemy, you're just going to heal it instead of hurt it."

"You bonehead, that's not what he was talking about!" yet another snapped. "If you take the same energy that you use to conjure up a good aura and unleash it towards your target, you'll cast an attack spell instead!"

"Yeah," some guard behind all the others said. "That'll heal the enemy, stupid! What you have to do is focus your negative emotions instead of positive ones."

"Concern for your allies might create a buff spell, but if you channel anger, you'll get a spell that can hurt your enemy," the first guard said. "You're always looking after Sir Hendrik. It doesn't surprise me that you're able to cast buffs and heals. And always protected, you wouldn't be the kind to really have much negativity in you..."

"If you love Sir Hendrik, why not put that to use?" the one that healed her with the herb suggested.

"But he's not here for me to heal him?" she said, confused.

"You're worried about him, aren't you? You're being kept from him by this monster. Surely you're angry at it for standing in your way!" he said. "So try it out!"

Mahina stepped forward, putting her hands out. The magic circle swept around her feet, but when she tried to bring something out of her hands, she just fizzled instead. She whimpered in disappointment. Maybe she didn't love him enough after all... No, no, she could do this. She had to do this. She put her hands up again, facing the killing machine. She closed her eyes and thought of Hendrik, how she wished to find him. "Get..." She wanted to bring forth some sort of destructive force, and the only thing that came to her mind was when she was out at sea, before she was pulled under. It was cold, sad, desolate... As she felt herself in the wreckage of the ship off the coast of Gondolia, the chill came to her fingertips. She opened her eyes suddenly, "...out of my way!" Mahina yelled at the machine, causing balls of water to fall from the sky. It splashed all over the killing machine, causing its joints to rust. Even though it woke up, ready to charge at the party, it had a harder time moving. The guards all charged at it and she fell back onto her butt, dizzy. Her mental energy just didn't have much left in it. She could easily have fallen asleep there on the grass.

"Miss Mahina!" a guard said, once the killing machine had been defeated.

"I'm so..." she yawned.

"Here, take this," another guard said, taking out a pink vial and pouring a few drops onto her forehead. "This should help with that sensation."

She blinked a few times, and within a few seconds she seemed to be okay again. She stood back up. "Thank you. Thank the Goddess for all of you. I wanted to ask for combat training with the knights, and it looks like I'm finally getting it..."

The group resumed their search going through that tunnel. Mahina helped mostly with support spells, but she would call forth the water that always came to her mind in times of distress if it was needed. Each time, a guard would sprinkle just a bit more of that magic water on her. It felt as if each time she cast that spell, it was becoming easier. By the time they had reached the Emerald Coast, Mahina was going a few fights at a time without needing assistance. She really did believe she was growing stronger. This must have been what Amber meant when she said she was going to have to fight monsters! It was almost... exciting?

"Where was Sir Hendrik last seen?" Mahina asked the rest of the party.

"Around here somewhere," a guard answered.

"That's... helpful," she grunted at him. "More specific, please?"

"That way, towards the Door of Departure," another guard said, pointing across the fields.

"Why did he go out so far?" she asked. "Usually, doesn't he only go between the Last Bastion and Heliodor?"

"Yes, but... he said he wanted to go further. See how many more straggers we could find, maybe even see if there were any cities that survived the fall..."

The words she said the day before echoed in her mind. She was the one that asked if other towns still stood. Could he have gone further because she asked? Oh, now she really had to find him and tell him that it wasn't that important... but then she knew that he would say that it really was important to know about or something honorable like that. Goddess damn it, did he have to be so valiant to the point that he'd put himself in danger?! Out on the Emerald Coast, dragons and other more scary monsters roamed the land. The monsters in front of the Last Bastion weren't that much in comparison to these ones. If he was fighting them on his own, it made much more sense that he'd be in trouble. Everything compounded in her mind, which made it difficult for her to focus during the fights. They were able to avoid most of the larger monsters, until they had almost made it into the passage that led out to the precipce where the Door of Departure lay in wait. There wasn't much more to explore this way. If Hendrik was still alive, he had to be out there...

"No!" a guard shouted in the back, causing everyone to turn around. A large red dragon had clawed him, and everyone took formation around the wounded man. "I know we were trying to avoid this," he whimpered, "but it was chasing us!"

"Why didn't you say anything!" another guard shouted back angrily. "It's a bloody dragon!"

"Miss Mahina," a guard close to her said as they all prepared for the dragon to unleash its mighty ice breath, "Might I make a suggestion?"

"You are more than welcome to, but I don't know what we can do against a dragon," she answered honestly.

"Slip through to the other side beyond these branches," he whispered. "There is not much land between here and the Door to Departure. It is just one clearing. If Sir Hendrik is there, you will find him. If he is not, return to us and we will explore further."

"But-"

The dragon was ready. She could see from his facial expression. It inhaled and let it loose, causing half of the company to fall over, frozen to their core. Mahina had never known such chill, and she could barely stay awake. It was so cold that it burned her skin and caused her dress to become heavy. When she breathed out, her breath hung in the air. Just a moment ago, she could feel the heat of the earth, and now she felt as if she was somewhere else entirely. The ground beneath her feet covered in frost from the attack. When she rose her wand to try to summon the replenishing rain again, she had no luck. The cold she felt trapped in completely distracted her from holding the image of the water in her mind. Mahina hated being cold. It was the worst feeling in the world!

"You must run," the guard said, reaching over to keep her standing. "We will hold the path for you to come back, with or without Sir Hendrik."

"I could not leave you here to face a dragon alone," she said.

"I fear it may be beyond your combat capabilities and us holding you here will kill you, and if we let that happen, there is no way either King Carnelian or Sir Hendrik will forgive us," he continued. "Not one creature or human will come through this passage while we guard it. I swear it."

Tearfully she turned away from the party, though she did not wish to leave them. While she knew not a single name, the group was nothing more than kind to her as they protected and taught her the basics of battle during this excursion. Mahina came to care for them, not wanting to see any of these bright young men defeated. She wished she had some way to help, but with her lack of experience it was hard to mount a fight. She felt utterly useless. No magic, no weapon skills. The dragon used its claws to come down upon yet another soldier, and she gasped. The wound gushed with blood and other soldiers gathered around him to apply medical herbs where it was bleeding.

"The first thing a new fighter must learn is to know when you can fight, and when it is strategically smarter to run," another guard added. "While it is your choice to stand with us, we would rather protect you than see you come to further harm."

"Go! Please!"

Mahina bit her lip and ran through as fast as she could, forcing herself between roots and branches of this incredibly thin passageway. She climbed rocks with her piddly amount of upper body strength, she tripped over toppled trees, she breathed in soil dust. Her dress ripped in a few spots. But she would not be deterred. As soon as she set foot in the wide open clearing, she took a look around. The men were right, this place wasn't that big. She saw a large structure towards the end of the landmass. That must have been the Door of Departure they spoke of. She took a few steps towards it and suddenly was lifted up off the ground, being pulled up by the back of her dress.

"Oh I did not expect to see something like this wander out this far," a voice snarled behind her.

When she turned her face to see where that large booming voice was coming from, she found herself staring into the single eye of a cyclops! It was far larger than any dragon she'd ever seen. She was dangling between the thumb and forefinger, and his eye was just about as large as she was.

He turned her around, getting a look at her from all sides. He even lifted up her skirt, to which she let out a shriek. "Pretty! I like you!"

"Um, Mr. Cyclops, sir... If I may..."

"I'm Atlas," the huge monster corrected her.

"Right. Mr. Atlas, sir, I m looking for someone," she said. "I didn't mean to bother you or anything, I just I'm looking for someone I care about that hasn't been able to make it home and..." The more she spoke, the more she felt like she was rambling. "Would you kindly please put me down? I'll leave right away and never come back, I promise."

"I do like how you're polite, not trying to immediately kill me with swords," Atlas said. "Tell me about your friend, and I ll tell you if I've seen them. If I haven't, I'll let you go back to your search since you were so nice."

"Oh! Thank you very much, Mr. Atlas!"

"So. About your friend?"

Mahina thought about all the ways she could describe Hendrik to the monster to help identify him. "He's tall, but nowhere near as tall as you, of course and he has beautiful purple hair, wears a blue tunic..." The more she went on, the more she blushed as she thought about him, reaching to play with her pink hair. "...carries a large great sword and a shield very kind teal eyes, and his voice is deeper than the lovely ocean~"

The Atlas stared at her for a moment and his smile faded away almost instantly. "That's what your friend is like, is it?" he asked, rolling one his eye. "...listen, I like you a lot, miss, I really do, but I'm going to have to kill you."

"What?!" she said, gasping.

"Yep. I mean, if you're his friend, I m gonna have to take you away from him to teach him a lesson. Shouldn't go around murdering good folk when they haven't done anything wrong," the Atlas said.

"Didn't do anything wrong?" Mahina asked. "Monsters are trying to take the world from the humans now that Darkness is everywhere! You can't say that you guys aren't all ready killing what humans you find outside of the settlement! She put her hands on her hips. But you know what I m not going to argue with you, Mr. Atlas. The fact that you recognized him means that you saw him here! Where did he go? Did he leave? Is he still here?"

"Did you miss what I just said?" the Atlas asked. "I'm going to kill you to teach that brute a lesson!"

Mahina had to think of something, fast! Maybe, since he was so big, she could use him to find Hendrik? She frowned for a moment at the Atlas. "Okay, fine, you can kill me to avenge your friends," she said, shrugging. The Atlas was confused about that. "But before you do, I at least want to know that my friend is alive to see it. Please? If, Goddess forbid, he s already dead, would there really be a point to killing me?"

The Atlas thought about it for a moment. "If he's dead, you stay with me, okay? We both need new friends."

She nodded politely, though to be sure, she was scared out of her wits.

"He's been trying to get out of here for a while. All his little goons scampered away, but I know he s in here somewhere," the Atlas explained. He placed her on his shoulder. She'd never been this high up off the ground before. It was disorienting. When he noticed she had a hard time standing, he said, "Oh sit down all ready. I m hoping he all ready died that way I can keep you. You go falling from here, and we both lose."

She sat down, looking over the earth, desperately searching for her beloved.

"You have a guest. A lovely lady," the Atlas boomed. "Someone lookin' for you... though I don't know how someone like you has any friends."

"She isn't a friend of mine," yelled Hendrik's voice. "She isn't looking for me! Just send her back on her way."

Mahina gasped. He was alive. But as she looked around for him, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Let the lady see you," the Atlas said, reaching for his gargantuan club that had been leaning up against the mountainside. He grinned, knowing that he was going to get to smash something today. He didn't want to have to kill a lady. If she was up there and he was down here, it would be easy to just use his club and turn that knight into a bloody pulp. Sure, he figured she would cry, but he would keep her. He imagined the field in the spring, full of flowers. "I promised she'd get to see you before she dies, you see."

"Do not lay a hand on an innocent!" Hendrik yelled again. "Your malice should be towards me and no one else!"

"You mean like you, slayer of innocent monster-kind," the Atlas taunted. He looked at Mahina. "You. Call to him."

She shook her head. "No, I- I couldn't."c

"Call for your friend," the Atlas said. "Once he hears your voice, he will come out. You need to see him, I need to kill someone. Come on. Call to him."

"No," she said quietly.

He reached to pick her up again, holding her in the middle of his hand. "I'd rather not hurt you to do this, but..." He reached for her right arm, applying pressure to the elbow. Mahina screamed in pain.

"Hey! That hurts!" she cried, doing all she could to try to get away. "Let me go!"

Coming around from behind the Door of Departure, a battered and beaten Hendrik came out, with his two-handed greatsword pointed straight at the monster.

"Mmm," the Atlas grinned. "You liar! Must have broken the poor lady s heart to hear that you aren't her friend."

"Unhand the lady," Hendrik growled. "I give you this one chance."

"That's the thing," the Atlas said, putting her onto the ground. "She and I came to an agreement. She's going to pay for what you did!" He then lifted his huge club, staring down right at her.

She gathered up her skirt and started to run towards Hendrik as quickly as she could manage.

"What?" the Atlas asked. Now he really was angry. How could that nice lady do that to him? He wasn't even planning on squishing her! "That does it! You're both getting squashed! I was going to let one of you go, but clearly you two need to die together!"

"Hendrik!" she screamed as she raced to him.

"Mahina!?" he asked, his jaw dropped with shock to see her there. "What are you even doing out here?"

"I came out here to find you, of course!"

"Alone?"

"No, of course not! Your men accompanied me and taught me a bit about defending myself," she said.

"Get behind me, then," Hendrik said, "I will ensure you make it back home."

She took out her wand. "No," she said sternly. "I will stand with you. Fight with you."

The Atlas wasn't having any of this. He stomped towards them, and with each step, the ground rumbled beneath them. He reared back his club, ready to swing at them. Mahina cast Buff on them, and Hendrik took a stance ready to counter. When the blow hit, Mahina was knocked off her feet, but she was still alive. Hendrik slashed back without all of his strength, cutting the Atlas' arm. Mahina stared up at the Atlas. He towered over them. If she wasn't prepared enough to face a dragon, there wasn't much she could do against a monster like this. Hendrik noticed the hesitation in her eyes and stepped in front of her, pulling his shield off of his back.

"You don't have to defend me," she said.

"Yes, I do," Hendrik answered. "Even if it kills me, I must stand for you."

"The Last Bastion needs you far more than it needs me," Mahina said.

"The Last Bastion may need me, but..." he blushed a bit. "...I need you."

"...what?"

The Atlas let lose another blow, and Hendrik took the most of it behind his shield. It hurt, causing him to grunt in extreme pain, but he held still. She forced herself back up to her feet, applying her hands to his body and channeling all the healing energy she could muster to keep him standing.

"Hendrik," she whispered. "This might not be the best time to say this, but I have something I must tell you."

"Save your valediction, Mahina. We will live another day," Hendrik said.

"You don't know that..."

"Yes, I do. I know it in the depths of my heart." He tried to smile at her, but the now constant banging on his shield from the Atlas made it a bit difficult.

"I..." she said, trying not to let her dizziness knock her off her feet again. "...I'll do something."

"But... you're having a hard time standing, Mahina!"

"My head aches," she said, nodding. "My whole body hurts. But that's not going to stop me." She did her best to concentrate on the water spell she managed to manifest earlier. She imagined the sea that tried to kill her, feeling her fingertips turn just a bit cold. Even if the water drops couldn't hurt the monster that much, if only she could hit the right spot, that would be all they'd need to create an advantage. The Atlas was kneeling over. He didn't even see her there as he pounded away at Hendrik's shield. _...Seeing?_ That is a pretty sensitive spot for any living creature, even moreso for a cyclops! She grinned and let out the water spell with determination, aiming straight for his eye.

"Argh!" the Atlas screamed out, causing him to rear back as he rubbed his eyes.

This gave Hendrik the opportunity he needed to rush at the creature from behind the shield, slashing straight through its chest, causing blood to spurt all over him. He held it firm, pushing it in further in, making sure to kill it. The Atlas faded away like any other monster, leaving no spoil from the battle. He looked back at Mahina, who didn't seem to know exactly where she was at the moment.

"Mahina," he said, approaching her. "Thank you. I thought I... would be lost out here..."

"King Carnelian," she answered. When she started to fall over, he caught her against his chest. "When he... said you were lost... I..."

"You are so determined," he said. "Never did I think you would come looking for me..."

"I had to... because I... I, I... I couldn't think of living without you," Mahina confessed. "I asked people within the Last Bastion to help me grow stronger. Miss Amber gave me this wand, I learned from your own men how to work with magic, and I... I had to see you again!"

"...had you not come here, I might have let myself die in hiding," Hendrik said bashfully. "Whatever will I do without you?"

She had a hard time keeping her footing, so he picked her up into his arms after he gathered up all of his equipment. She nuzzled against him, thankful that they had been reunited. He carried her out of the grassy field and back into the tiny passageway between it and the Emerald Coast. They went slowly, as they were both hurt, but it didn't stop Hendrik from keeping his careful pace. Every now and then, he'd look down at her, just to reassure her that everything was going to be all right. Eventually, they had come to the party that had defended her on their way here. Mahina noticed that the dragon was gone, but many of the men were severely injured.

"Is that Sir Hendrik and Miss Mahina?" one of the soldiers asked, surprised.

"What? We did it!" another said.

Hendrik suddenly fell onto one knee, but he refused to allow Mahina to fall. His injuries had made it that much more difficult to keep going this way.

"Get two stretchers over here, now!" a guard shouted. "Take these two! We go home!"

As the guards had Mahina lay on a stretcher, she watched them put Hendrik on another. They used the items they had on hand to keep both of them alive, but neither of them were in shape to fight. The party slowly but surely made its way back to the Last Bastion and had both Hendrik and Mahina in their beds in their tiny cabin to rest. The knights reported to the King, and Carnelian came to visit them while they were both sleeping. He ordered for their wounds to be wrapped and treated, and to allow them as much rest as they needed. Every now and then, either of them would wake, look across the room and be a tad bit confused as to what happened. How they ended up at home.

This went on for at least a week.


	5. Chapter 5

_Crossing Destiny_

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Quest XI!

Notes: Mahina, Surya, and Velma belong to me and my friends. If you want your OC to appear, please PM me and we can work it out.

Warnings: OCxcanon, plot modified to suit OCs

 **Massive Story Spoilers. You have been warned. This fic started at the beginning of Act II.**

FIC START!

-Part 5-

 _Falling through dark water. Seeping deeper into the dark abyss. When trying to breathe, just taking in that putrid water. Tainted with hatred and despair, and colder than ice. Lost without any chance of heading back home. If it could be called that. Drowning... Dying._

Mahina woke up suddenly, gasping for air. Her hands were around the base of her neck. She sat up, looking around. She knew she had come home, but she couldn't exactly remember how or when. The bed next to hers was empty. As to be expected. That man never could sleep in. She'd be worried if he was still abed, if anything. She plopped back on her pillow, feeling nauseous. Having seen that dream again, she had a hard time keeping focus. There was a battle outside. She was in it. She was able to call water out of from her hands. Weird. Why was she in a battle? Hendrik... she went to find him after Carnelian said that he'd gone missing...

 _Hendrik!_

She shot back up, noticing the bandages all over her body. Seemed like everything had healed since then. It didn't hurt to get out of bed. How bad was it after fighting that dragon, and then that huge Atlas? Mahina went to her wardrobe to pull out her clothes, but found that the dress she usually wore wasn't there. She reached for a pair of trousers, then, and a frilly powder blue blouse that she probably never wore at any point in her life before. It was lighter, and definitely easier to move around in. She liked the fit and wondered why she'd never opted to wear clothing like this before. As she went around the house, she saw his tidy little bookshelf full of new books. Mahina wondered when he had the chance to read? Wait. How long had she been asleep?!

Opening the door, almost expecting a sunny fresh morning and the dew from the grass to be there and get her stockings wet, she found the world as dreary as it had been before. She yawned, heading out to see if this was the same Last Bastion she remembered, or if she was still dreaming.

"Ah! You're back on your feet!" one of the soldiers said from his post. "Glad to see you, Miss Mahina!"

She looked up at him and waved, wondering which of the soldiers he was. All of them wore full masks and it was incredibly difficult to tell them all apart. "Thank you for your help," she said. "I wouldn't have made it as far as I did without all of you."

"To earn a lady's praise is the highest of honors," the soldiers on the other side of the gate said dreamily. "Ah, why's Sir Hendrik gotta be so lucky? Not only the most handsome of any knight that's ever served Heliodor, but he ends up with a lady that is willing to fight tooth and nail for him. So romantic~"

Mahina blushed. "Okay, okay, guys..."

"Sorry. Being a soldier tends to be a lonely job," the first one said. "He's always going on like that. One day, we'll get him married and he can stop being so over the top."

"While I have your attention, can you tell me where Sir Hendrik's gone?" she asked.

"Last we saw him, he was heading to the dock with the king," the second one said.

"Thank you!" she said with a smile, heading down the cobblestone stairs and through the heavy gate where most of the civilians lived. She was greeted with well wishes from most everyone she came across. Some offered her breakfast, and she took a buttered biscuit as she walked through. A group of children raced around her, with one of them declared he would be as heroic as Sir Hendrik, and the little girl saying she'd love to be as brave as Lady Mahina. She couldn't believe that... Since when had she earned a distinction of being brave? Who decided that, the king? What?! She finished her biscuit as she came to the graveyard and people paying their respects. Just beyond here was the dock, if she remembered right. She had only been this far into the community a few times.

"Hendrik," Carnelian said, catching Mahina's attention. "You should not be out in the field every day." She headed in that direction until she noticed that they were speaking privately, and no other villagers were close to the river. She noticed a gravestone closer to them and went to stand behind it.

"If that is your order, I have no choice but to obey," Hendrik answered. "But if I may speak freely, sire, why would you decide this?"

"Too much pressure on a man will break him, and I will not allow you to break," Carnelian replied. "I've broken far more than I should have in this life, and you will not be one of them."

"A knight's purpose is to serve-"

"You may have been a knight while Heliodor stood, but life is different now. The world itself is a different place. You don't have to serve me. I barely qualify as a king," Carnelian sighed. "I have lost my daughter... I have lost Jasper... I will not lose you, Hendrik."

"I'm not going anywhere, Your Highness."

"You... you don't have to talk to me like that when we're alone. How many times have I told you that?"

"Er. Forgive me. I just."

Carnelian let out a soft laugh. "I have known you since you were a lad... once you had it in your head to be a certain way, it's difficult for you to change. I understand that more than anyone else. You don't have to apologize, son."

"I-I'm sorry, what?"

"You're the closest thing I've ever had to a son. You... and Jasper, of course."

Mahina backed away from the gravestone. It wasn't right to sit there and listen to this conversation. She wanted to speak with Hendrik, but this was something he needed. She started to walk away, and Amber called to her from another grave from across the cemetery.

"Oh, there you are!" she said. "We've all been worried sick over you, you know!"

Mahina nodded, heading over there. "The wand you gave me was so much help. Thank you!"

Amber giggled and reached around to give Mahina a hug. "So I heard! You've done me ol' heart good! I know my daddy is just as proud of you puttin' that old wand to use!" When she let go, she asked, "So. Now what are you doing all the way down here? Don't tell me you're looking for a way to get stronger down by the river."

"No, that's not why I came down here," she admitted. "I heard that Hendrik was headed here, and I was worried that he might be thinking of taking off again. Last I saw him, we were both beaten up pretty badly."

"The priest that looked after you two said it was amazing you survived at all," Amber said. "Love surpasses all things, now doesn't it?"

"I'm sure the herbs and magic had something to do with it, too," Mahina said as she blushed hard.

"No need to be so bashful," Amber said, pointing over to the river. They both saw King Carnelian and Hendrik coming back up the riverbank. Amber waved to them, catching their attention. "Yoohoo, Sir Hendrik!" Then she patted Mahina's shoulder. "Someone's come looking for you!"

Hendrik's face lit up as he came up to the graveyard. A kind smile graced his face. "Thank you, Miss Amber," he said, bowing his head a bit in respect.

"Now, what did I tell you about the 'Miss'?" Amber asked, putting her hands on her hips for a moment. "Ah, well. I guess once you're set in your way, you aren't gonna change. My boy was always like that, too."

Carnelian smiled as he watched Mahina run up to Hendrik and embrace him tightly. "I'll just excuse myself," he said, heading back up the path towards the barracade. Amber decided to do the same, but she was giddy over it. It had been too long since she'd seen romance at all. Knowing that it existed in this world, despite all the darkness that surrounded them, was a symbol of hope.

"I was meaning to do this back when you came out from behind the Door of Departure," Mahina whispered, grasping him to her tighter.

"Mmm," Hendrik agreed, returning the affection. "I appreciate your patience. I doubt I would have been able to withstand this hold of yours if you had."

"There was something I wanted to tell you during that battle because I thought we were going to die," she said. "Something... important."

"Mahina... I am confident I all ready know what it is," he said, cupping her cheek with one of his hands.

"Y-you... all ready know? Was... was it that obvious?"

He nodded, placing his forehead against hers. "Mahina... everything you do is obvious. You do not hide anything about your thoughts or feelings. I can always see why take the actions you do without having to doubt you," he said gently. "So many people go out of their way to hide their true intentions. It is... something I would never change about you."

"Hendrik..." she whispered, tears falling from her eyes as she looked into his.

He carefully wiped her tears away. "There is something I would like to show you, if I may."

"Show me?" Mahina asked.

"Mmm. Come with me," he said, pulling away from her just enough to offer him her arm, "My lady."

"Yes!" she wrapped her arm around his, and together they headed up the path. They would stop every now and then to just look at each other, and sharing knowing smiles with affectionate gazes.

* * *

"Now that the stage is complete," Sylvando said, turning to all of the paraders, "We march onward to help anyone else in need! Surya, darling, you are on point! You're in the lead. We'll spread happiness wherever you lead us~"

Surya watched him pull out huge, sharp-feathered fans, and he hopped on top of the parade float. Those legs must have been far stronger than they appeared to be able to make such a jump off the ground like that. He adjusted his hat as he pulled his spear out of the equipment bag. Everyone else in the parade gave the signal that they were ready. And when Surya walked out of the gate of Phnom Nohn, the whole parade had started up. The music was just like the day he was rescued. It was a huge party with Sylvando dancing to the exact pace of their marching and their music. The act was extremely well timed, measured to the exact beats of the drums. He had a lot of respect for it, despite his misgivings.

"What's wrong, darling?" Sylvando asked.

"Nothing's wrong, Sylv," Surya called back, shaking his head. "We head north!" He headed in the direction opposite of the cave they had found before. He knew there was a path that connected the Champs Savage to the Valor region. For the moment, he'd head that way. The parade danced around right behind him. He dispatched monsters as they came up, and Sylvando only joined the battle when he couldn't handle them himself. They didn't find a single surviving human out there, and they marched for quite a while. Past the bridge where Surya had fought against the weretigers, up in the direction of the path that would lead to Valor... It wouldn't be that long of a march to reach the port. A few days... three tops.

"Wait..." Sylvando said suddenly, squinting and holding up a hand to see in the distance. "Surya, do you see that?"

Towards the north, on the other side of the fork in the road Surya had his eyes on, he saw a girl wearing a blue uniform with an axe in her hand fighting off a group of Metal Slime Knights. "I do," he said. "Well, come on then!" He lept over a bunch of rocks and rushed into the fight, brandishing his spear.

"Ah!" the girl said, blinking in confusion. "There are others outside L'Academie?!"

"So you aren't alone," Surya said, stabbing his spear into one of them. "That's good to know."

"Not many of the girls in the school can fight. We've been cut off from whatever world is left out here and running out of food and supplies..." the girl said, unleashing a heavy move on one of the Metal Slime Knights. It knocked the knight right off the slime. They both watched it turn to mush and fade away the same way any other monster would upon being defeated. Now that Surya had a moment to look at her, she wasn't dainty. She had muscles underneath that prim and proper dress. "I'm out here trying to make my way to somewhere else to find something I can bring back to them!"

"A noble cause to be sure," Surya nodded, focusing all of his attention into a Thunder Thrust. It hit, and one of the Metal Slime Knights was swiftly defeated.

"What are you doing out here?" the girl asked, cocking up an eyebrow.

"Well..."

And, as if on cue, the parade had caught up to Surya.

"...we're out assisting all who need it," he explained, shrugging.

"Oh... how nice..." the girl said, staring at the float and all the paraders in disbelief. Just looking at them, all she could think was Those uniforms might just be more beautiful than these dresses from an all girl's academy...

"Yeah, the troupe is pretty intense about that sort of thing. They really do like looking their best," Surya said, shrugging.

"Here I am~" Sylvando chimed as he lept into the battle with his whip wrapped around him. He expertly slashed at the monsters before them, knocking out a few. "Why, aren't you a charmer!"

Surya couldn't tell if he was referring to the girl, or to the monster, or to himself... "Ah, Sylv," he said. "Meet... err, what's your name, miss?"

"Velma," the girl answered, concentrating her strength to unleash another mighty blow. It obliterated the slime she targeted, and the battle was over. She turned to face them and get a better look at the paraders. "Thanks. I need to find something I can hunt. All there has been around here is just monsters, and-"

"Let us help, honey~" Sylvando said cheerfully.

"How?" Velma asked, pushing her purple bangs from her face. She hung her axe off of her back. "What are you and your... peacocks going to do?"

Surya crossed his arms after putting his weapons away. "Well, if there's more of us looking around, I'm sure we could find more critters to hunt, right?"

"Fantastic idea, darling!" Sylvando agreed. "We will assist all the lovely girls!"

"I hope you're not looking for compensation," Velma said. "We don't have any money to pay you with."

"That's not the kind of guys we are," Surya said. "This world does need more help than it gets here lately. We shouldn't be preoccupied with stuff like money. If we can all band together, we can take care of each other."

Sylvando let out a squeal before he glomped around Surya. "Ah! You have learned well, mi estudiante! Estoy tan orgulloso de ti~!"

"Oh detente por favor," Surya said as he blushed.

Velma stared at them, not sure what to make of their entire... whatever this was. She didn't know what it was, and she wasn't exactly sure if she wanted to know what it was. "If you wanna help, why don't you come to L'Academie? You can talk everything over with the Headmaster. Since now there's no way to know if we can go back home, the school has had to become something of a home for everyone." She tried to smile, but all she got was a general expression of 'meh'. "Follow me. It's not that far from here."

"Where are you from, originally?" Surya asked.

"Arboria," Velma replied.

"Is that right?" Sylvando asked, "I have two dear friends from there, too~"

"You do?" Surya and Velma asked at the same time.

"Mmm," Sylvando nodded enthusiastically. "Before the World Tree fell, we'd been on something of a world tour with other friends. I have no idea what happened to those precious little sweethearts since, but I can only hope and pray that they're doing all right." He hopped back onto the float, something Surya was used to seeing, but Velma kinda just stared in disbelief that a man looking that thin could jump that high. "Lead the way, my beautiful darlings~"

"...does he always talk like that?" Velma asked quietly. She started walking up the path, and Surya followed her. The parade float began up again, and the music seemed to be even louder than usual.

"Yes. It never stops," Surya replied just as quietly. "But eventually you'll find it as just a... piece of who he is."

"Who is he?"

"Sylvando is... well... he's..." the actor only shrugged. "...a wonderful person... He's an inspiration. At least, for me."

Velma nodded. "That kind of person would be wonderful. Sounds a lot like someone I used to attend school with."

"Used to?"

"Mmm," she said. "Attended here and went back to home before the fall... Of. Y'know... The World Tree. Haven't seen her since. I think about her a lot nowadays. She could have really helped with all these monsters."

"Able to handle herself in battle, then," Surya said.

"She could have helped me get further, if anything else." Velma thought aloud. "If I could muster up healing power, I could go further to search for food, but with all these monsters..."

"Don't worry. Some of the guys in the troupe can cast Heal, including Sylv himself. You'll be all right now."

She chuckled, pointing up ahead. "It's not that far from here. Come on."


	6. Chapter 6

Crossing Destiny

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Quest XI!

Notes: _GREETING FROM BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA~~ I'M WRITING ON VACATION~~_ *screams*

Warnings: OCxcanon, plot modified to suit OCs

Massive Story Spoilers. You have been warned. This fic started at the beginning of Act II.

FIC START!

-Part 6-

The headmaster of L'Academie de Notre Maitre les Medailles was more than welcoming to Sylvando's great parade. All of the paraders were surprised to see that this school full of lovely girls from around the world was still standing in this broken world. Sylvando and Surya explained to them what they had learned from Velma and the headmaster. They began to turn one of the patches of flowers into a campground. To find enough food for the school to function would take plenty of time. That didn't deter anyone from setting up a tent and preparing their weaponry.

"Okay," Surya said. "This is what we'll do. Sylv will take half of you out to hunt, and when you come back, I'll take the next half. We'll switch off, so we maximize our time out and no one gets exhausted."

"Aw, I wanted to go out with you, darling~" Sylvando chimed from the other side of the campfire. He had been helping one of the paraders fix the wear and tear on his uniform.

"One of us has to be leading at all times, and no one can be out there facing monsters and hunting wildlife for more than four hours or so without being completely drained," Surya explained. He sounded confident in his strategy.

"It is a good plan," Velma said as she approached the makeshift camp. "I offer my assistance to the effort."

"Oh, no, honey, you're a student," Sylvando said, shaking his head. "You stay here and stick to your lessons. Let us take care of things now."

Velma grunted, annoyed. "I'm not a student. I'm actually an alumni." She plopped down in front of the ring of stones that contained the fire, staring into the flame. "I was supposed to go home a long time ago."

"Why didn't you?" Surya wondered aloud.

"My friend and I were going to meet back up here," Velma said. "I got here no problem, but the World Tree fell from the sky the very next day. The world... ended."

"Not you, too," Sylvando groaned. "The world isn't over! We're alive. Phnom Nohn still stands, too."

"Oh, I see," Velma rolled her eyes. "You're one of those glass half full kinda guys. The world just isn't a place for that anymore." She let out a sigh before falling back onto the flowerbed. The petals all fluffed up around her and twirled about before being carried off by the wind.

"Don't fight with him," Surya said, catching a few of those petals in his hands. "You won't change him. Sylv will change you first." He mushed them between his hands for a few seconds, making them into tiny little particles before tossing them into the campfire. Each petal created a tiny little spark, and the entire flame made sparks all through it.

"Oooh! What was that, Surya dear?" one of the paraders asked.

"Just a simple trick I learned when I toured with another troupe," he replied. "Based on what one of my fellow actors told me, it was an old witch's spell. With a simple verse, she could throw the flower petals into the fire to cast out all her negative thoughts. I've tried it a few times, but I haven't got it right."

"I've seen that before," Velma said, sitting back up. Her eyes glistened, reflecting the flames as she stared at them. "That technique is from Lonalulu."

"Yeah, the actor that taught me about it was from there," Surya nodded.

She sighed. "My friend that did the trick in front of me was, too." She pushed herself off the ground, crossing her arms once she stood on her feet. She sighed, rubbing her eyes for a moment, before announcing the real reason she came out here. "...When is your first patrol?"

"We might as well take you along, darling," Sylvando said, shrugging.

"What?" Velma asked, wondering why the sudden change in decision.

"You'll go out on your own if we don't bring you with us, won't you?" he asked, smiling at her. "I understand the drive to help more than you could ever know. We'll go out there once we get a few hours of sleep. I'd go out now, but we spent all day marching between here and Phnom Nohn. Our tiny footsies can't handle more right now. If any of the ladies of L'Academie are hungry tonight, send them to me. I'll make sure they will not sleep hungry."

"I'll be ready for you then," she said, turning away. She headed back in the direction of the school, exchanging a few quiet words with the Lipsy standing on the front porch.

"...she's quite imposing," a parader in the back said as he sat down in the circle with the rest of the paraders.

"She's beautiful~" Sylvando said. "I do love how lovely that long purple hair is! It takes so much effort to manage hair properly, and she just has so much of it!"

"I didn't think you were into... that sort of person," Surya thought aloud, pulling out his mat. He was all ready to turn in, especially if there was going to be work on the battlefield again so soon.

"There's something beautiful about everyone," Sylvando continued. He was beginning to get his mat ready, too. With those two starting to prepare for bed, everyone else took the signal to do the same.

"Then doesn't that mean no one is beautiful?" Surya asked, fluffing up his little pillow.

"Not so!" Sylvando snapped at him. "You've made such progress in such a short time, honey, but you have yet to learn everything from me. Stick around a bit longer... You'll see what I mean, darling."

"I guess so." Surya flopped down on his mat, rolling a bit so he could look up at the sky. He'd done this a million times on his travels across the world before the World Tree fell. There would always be stars overhead, and the moon, and Yggdrasil, too. Now there was nothing like that. There was simply darkness and heavy clouds that filled the sky. He used to fall asleep counting those stars, as it kept all the thoughts inside his head from taking over. Ever since he joined up with the troupe, he'd listened to their constant partying and merry-making instead, regardless if he could understand what they were talking about. But Sylvando had asked them all to be quieter, as not to disturb the attendees of L'Academie. There were a few giggles here and there, but nowhere near as much noise as they were making back in Phnom Nohn.

Sylvando put his mat right next to Surya's. It wasn't the first time they shared space so close together, but it was the first time Surya noticed that Sylvando wasn't paying attention to anyone else. The famous circus preformer laid on his side, watching Surya himself with a quiet, knowing smile. Surya tried to keep his attention on the dark sky, but as his eyes wandered the sky, searching for something to set his attention on, he couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Sylvando was staring at him.

"What troubles you?" Sylvando asked.

"What? I'm- I'm fine, Sylv."

"The way you keep fidgeting and your eyes keep darting around your field of vision, I have to insist that is a lie." He said. "You do know that you can come to me with any problem, don't you?"

"If I had a problem, I'd tell you of it."

"Would you now?" Sylvando mused, sinking back into a more comfortable position on his mat. "Do you trust me enough to tell me of your doubts in adopting how I see the world? Do you trust me enough to tell me about your fears in regards to your old acting troupe having survived the fall of Yggdrasil? Or is it simply that you find yourself unable to sleep, and the coping mechanisms you used before are unavailable to you?"

Surya looked away. How could he see all of those things? He hadn't spoke of his worries, as he believed they should be his to deal with. Just how observant could he be to pick up on all those things?!

"Surya, honey, did you not know that burdens get lighter when there are more hands to carry them? You're intelligent enough to have put that together. I know you are."

"Sylv..."

"Come now," Sylvando said. "Let me help you carry the weight on your heart."

"Thank you, Sylv."

"I have done nothing yet," he chimed. "Do not get too far ahead of yourself, mi amor."

Surya felt himself blush. "Wh- why did you..."

"If you do not understand why, something must be done," Sylvando whispered, inching himself closer to Surya until the tips of their noses just touched. "I know you hurt, honey. We all do. This is why I offer you - why I offer everyone - a chance to lighten the load. Don't keep me at arm's length. I can't help you that way."

He couldn't even think straight, being that close to anyone. Sylvando was striking at every moment Surya had ever laid eyes on him since the day they met. He had been supportive and understanding this entire time. And now, feeling his breath against him, he had no idea what to do. He had known intimacy before, of course, he wasn't completely oblivious to what was going on with these signals, but it had been quite a while since those days. "Sylv, I understand what you're offering me, but I don't know how to respond to it..."

"Do what comes natural, honey," Sylvando whispered, reaching up with both of his hands. He laced his fingers together around Surya's neck, staring up at that uncertain expression. He couldn't help himself, that innocence was too cute. "Open up to me, hmm?"

Surya let out a hesitant laugh, like he wanted to just make light of the situation. "I have not loved in what seems like an eternity," he whispered back.

"I like it when you're honest," Sylvando said. "That at least explains why you hesitate."

"I knew the person far longer than I have known you, too," Surya confessed.

"You seem like you're a slow burn in every aspect, darling."

"What do you mean?"

"You are still working through how you see the world," Sylvando said. "You still have a hard time seeing the positives. The beauty, the passion, the creativity. You knew them before. You are an actor, so it was your duty to give the people these things. It is still your duty."

"I don't act anymore, Sylv."

"Yes, you do. You are acting when you put up that defense of yours."

Surya started to turn his head away again, but Sylvando used his hands to keep Surya's eyes looked onto his own. "I'm not acting, Sylv!"

"You can let your guard down with me, honey," Sylvando whispered again.

Tears began to well up in Surya's eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to let them fall. It did seem like the entire world weighed down on him. He missed the way the world used to be, he missed his companions, his hometown, his old way of life. He couldn't help but wonder if anyone in his family were still alive. He believed his true nature to be useless in a world where half of the land is ablaze and monsters had taken over literally everything. Surya believed that hardening his heart was the only way to survive, as the world had become so much more of a harsh place. "I... I don't..." he bit his lip, shaking his head.

"There you are," Sylvando said, pulling him down so he could embrace Surya completely, where the tears finally fell in full force. He held Surya against his chest, one hand on the back of his blonde hair, and the other supporting his back. He squeezed the man to him, giving him the chance to let it all out. "You needed this. Everyone does. Let it all out, darling. I'm here for you."

* * *

Hendrik didn't know the first thing about being romantic. He thought about what he was supposed to do, what was expected of him in the art of 'being romantic'. But then he stopped to think about the kind of relationship he and Mahina shared. It wasn't anything close to how a relationship was 'supposed' to develop. Everything about their relationship felt strange. Not bad. Just different. He noticed that she was quite content, leaning into him with a smile that he'd only seen from her in those moments when they were close. He'd seen her on the brink of death and vivacious with life, and every expression in between.

"I know that without the sun, there isn't much to see on the water now," Hendrik said, looking over a cliff that faced the ocean. "But the stone formations are still lovely, if you'd like to go see them?"

"...let me guess..."

"Mmm?"

"You don't know where you're taking me, and you're trying to come up with somewhere to take me on the spot," she said, looking up at him.

"I- I wouldn't-" He blushed for a moment before giving up entirely on trying to surprise her. "...Yes."

"I can't imagine there's many pretty places now, with the world being... y'know. What it is now."

"Mahina..."

"You don't have to impress me, Hendrik. Just being near you, I'm happy." Mahina smiled. "Carnelian told me that our relationship inspires the rest of the Last Bastion, to keep their spirits up. Morale is just as important as the safety of the people. You must feel so much pressure to do what's expected..."

"Am I such an easy read?" he wondered aloud.

"Mmm... because I understand how a knight would think, I can guess at how you'd put things together," she answered. "It's a good thing, because you don't have to feel like you're on edge so much. We can come up with ways together to keep all those voyeurs happy while we're fostering our legitimate feelings, hmm?"

"Perhaps that would be best," Hendrik sighed. "I would rather not have to think up everything, considering my inexperience."

"If I'm to be honest about this," Mahina said, "I'm new to romance, too. Luckily for you, I'm easy to please!"

"...oh, are you now?"

"I'd like to think so."

"Someone that says they're easy to please tends not to be in the eyes of others," Hendrik grinned. "So. Are you interested in gazing upon the rock formations towards the south of the Last Bastion, or should we do something else?"

"We can go look? The whole village watched us walk past. I'm sure that's what they're expecting us to do."

He shook his head. "Honestly, I can't think of anything else to do with you here. If only Heliodor still stood. There were beautiful gardens that I would walk daily on patrol, and sometimes I would find a nobleman and his lady there to gaze at the fauna. And, on the night of a full moon, why, even I would stop for a moment to appreciate how breathtaking the place was."

"Sounds beautiful."

"Nothing short of beautiful would describe it properly." Hendrik continued.

"Because you're a knight, you must have spent time in Puerto Valor."

"Yes."

"I was there, waiting for a ship that would carry me further north. In the inn, I watched out the window, where the stars glistened off the water... I'd lived most of my life in Lonalulu, and I'd never seen anything so beautiful as that."

"I remember that clearly. Many times when I could not sleep, I would gaze out upon the harbor."

They both shared a quiet laugh, leaning into each other.

"Even if it doesn't exist now," Hendrik whispered. "At the very least, we have our memories."

"And someone to share them with," Mahina whispered back.


	7. Chapter 7

Crossing Destiny

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Quest XI!

Notes: I typed this up while in Argentina, and honestly I just want to post it to move the plot forward. I need to replay the game and get it fresh in my mind again before I can write certain scenes that I want. So it's short and sweet for an update. Sorry.

Warnings: OCxcanon, plot modified to suit OCs

Massive Story Spoilers. You have been warned. This fic started at the beginning of Act II.

FIC START!

-Part 7-

By the time Hendrik and Mahina were done making small talk about their adventures before the fall of Yggdrasil, Carnelian had quietly made his way over to them. He found them sitting on the coast, with Mahina having slipped off her sandals to put her feet in the water. He didn't want to interrupt them, and the last thing he wanted to do was pull those two apart when they served the excellent purpose of inspiring the survivors in the Last Bastion to persist while living in a world where it seemed nothing good mattered. The king didn't interrupt their conversation. He was quite intriqued to know how Hendrik handled such circumstances, knowing that he'd never had the opportunity to connect like this to anyone before. It wasn't until he let out a little yawn that either of them even noticed he was there.

"Ah!" Hendrik said, immediately pulling himself to his feet. "Your Majesty, forgive me. I didn't know you were-"

"Calm down, Hendrik," Carnelian answered. "How many times must I tell you that you don't need to always be so formal with me?" He shook his head. "I honestly didn't want you to know I was here."

Mahina stood up, too, letting out a yawn of her own. They had spent quite a while doing nothing other than enjoying each other's company. "Then why'd you come out here?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "If you weren't coming to tell us about something."

"Can't a king go for a walk without needing a reason to?" Carnelian asked, putting his hands on his hips. "Not everything has to be about work." He let out a sigh. "But now that we're here, I request your assistance."

"Of course, I am at your disposal," Hendrik bowed his head. "Please, tell me of my next task."

"This is for the both of you," Carnelian corrected him. "Tomorrow, I will send the two of you out on a mission."

"A mission?" Mahina repeated.

"Mmm. I wish for you to head to the ruins of Heliodor and investigate," Carnelian said gently. "Not to engage in battle, but simply to investigate."

"I am ready to accept this task," Hendrik said. "But you are certain you wish Mahina to accompany me?"

"...hey!" Mahina interjected, making a pouty face.

"I am. She's proven herself useful. She has more powerful healing magics than you do, and based on what I've heard from the soldiers, a bit of attack magic, too. More importantly, she can look after you. I know beyond any doubts that the two of you will come home together safely, should I send her with you," Carnelian said, smiling. "So. Take care of each other, and bring me some news of what's happened back home, would you?" He turned to leave them. "Go back to your romance - you'll be surprised the power that derives from such a connection."

"...so what was that about?" Mahina asked, looking up at Hendrik.

"What?"

"You acting like you don't want me to go with you!"

"It's not because I don't want you with me, Mahina. I only worry for your safety. I don't know how I would handle it if something were to happen to you," Hendrik answered. "And, yes, you've proven yourself worthy on the battlefield. I am not taking away from your innate ability, but the hoardes of monsters out there is not to be underestimated." He wasn't sure what to make of the expression on her face at that moment. "But. The order has been given. We leave tomorrow, together."

"Mmm," she said, leaning back against him. "Yes... Which means I don't have to eat your cold plain scrambled eggs for breakfast. I'll get to eat what you always make for yourself!"

"...Mahina, I only leave you half of what I make for myself each morning..." Hendrik confessed with his usual stoic face. "So it'll be hot plain scrambled eggs."

She broke out into a hysterical giggle, causing Carnelian to turn back around to watch in amazement. Hendrik could make someone laugh that hard? Mahina laughed so hard that it caught the attention of guards and whoever else was awake. "...we're making something else to eat for breakfast, damn it! I'm tired of your damned eggs!"

"It serves its purpose well enough," Hendrik answered quietly. "I see no problem with continuing to make scrambled eggs. It is simple, easy to do, and-"

Mahina shook her head and shouted, "No! No, no no!"

"...oh, all right, then. We'll figure something else out instead. But it has to have enough protein to cover what the eggs would-"

"What about pancakes?"

"What are the health benefits of pancakes?"

"They're delicious?"

"...they don't provide anything a knight would need throughout the day."

"I don't care. I'm making a stack of pancakes tomorrow morning, and you're gonna eat them!" She said.

"...alongside a bowl of hot plain scrambled eggs."

She started to laugh again before grasping around him. "...okay. You win. Pancakes and eggs."

Hendrik cracked a little smile. "That's my victory? Are you sure that isn't a compromise?"

She looked behind them, noticing her sandals were still near the water. When she bent down to pick them up, she noticed there was something in the water. It glowed red. Which was odd, because none of the fish known out here were red or glowed. She cocked her head to the side, staring at it.

"...is there something out there?" Hendrik asked once he noticed the dazed, yet curious look in her eyes.

"I don't know what it is, but it doesn't seem right to me," she answered, stepping away from the water. Why did she feel as if she was being watched? A creepy feeling sank into her. She'd known this before. On the boat - the one from Gondolia! She gasped, shaking her head, stepping back further. She could feel it again. The lightning spell that split the ship apart, the water going black, and the fading back into the absolute cold... Mahina almost died, however long she was out, until Hendrik had come along and pulled her from the wreckage.

"...we should return home," Hendrik said. "Whatever it is you are seeing has an effect on you."

"I don't know if it's even real, to be honest."

"Ghost pains are real," he reassured her. "I don't know what all you went through when that ship sank, but the last thing I want is you in any sort of pain. Let us return."

She nodded, turning away from the water completely. 


End file.
